New Jersey's Decades-Long School Finance Case: So, What's the Payoff?
In its pathbreaking Abbott v. Burke decision in 1990, the New Jersey Supreme Court laid the groundwork for providing extra state resources for 32 poor, urban school districts, dubbed the Abbott districts. On November 11 at a forum at Teachers College, four legal and education specialists assessed how successful the Abbott districts have been in providing equitable educational opportunities, and what the future holds for them as they lose their special-funding status.

CEE Director Speaks before the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Michael Rebell, director of the Campaign for Educational Equity, was a featured speaker in Geneva this week at an expert seminar for the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The two-day meeting aims to inform the Committee on issues related to its future role in the implementation of the "Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights."

New Book Acclaims Adequacy Litigations
Countering the recent slew of books by Eric Hanushek, Al Lindseth, Paul Peterson and other critics of education adequacy and sound basic education litigations, a new book by Michael A. Rebell argues that successful outcomes in these cases, which have been initiated in dozens of states, is essential if the United States is to achieve its stated policy goals of eliminating achievement gaps and providing equal educational opportunity to all children.

Today's Education Headlines
New York State needs to improve the way it monitors how districts and others spend their American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars, the U.S. Department of Education's office of the inspector general reported last week. (Education Week) Read more...