Good research does not mean good policy, but policy or legal conclusions that rely on false assumptions are certain to be bad. When the rights of U.S. students of color are at stake, the Supreme Courts need the best research findings the country can offer. The U.S. Constitution contains sweeping and undefined terms. Reaching a conclusion about the…

This commentary was designed to accompany a series of articles in "Educational Researcher," vol. 35, no. 1, a theme issue entitled "Moving Beyond "Gratz" and "Grutter"--The Next Generation of Research." The author discusses the role of education research in civil rights litigation, drawing on historical…