Reformers suggest that parental choice will improve equity by making it possible for parents to select better schools for their children. A key assumption behind this claim is that parents choose from a set of schools that range in quality. Data from this longitudinal interview study suggest this assumption may be false. In one Midwestern city,…

Most of today's societies are confronted with an increasing necessity to legitimate the organization of their access to higher education. Commonly used as a yardstick to compare societies, the level of access to higher education is often presented as an indicator of the level of development and the capacity to produce knowledge, as well as a…

On October 4, 2007, a trial level court in New Jersey dismissed "Crawford v. Davy", a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of 60,000 schoolchildren throughout the state seeking the court's authority to leave schools that fail to educate their students. By filing suit, plaintiff schoolchildren had hoped to be transferred to an alternative…

This article proposes that states create low-income targeted voucher programs for 3- and/or 4-year-olds. The basis for this proposal is considerable research demonstrating long-term effects for a number of random assignment and quasi-experimental preschool programs. Benefit-costs rates of return for these programs are between $2 and $16 for every…

Although school choice proponents have generally been on the offensive in legislative arenas over the past 2 decades, they have played almost constant defense in the judiciary, seeking to prevent courts from undoing school choice programs. Opponents typically wield state constitutional provisions against school choice programs. Properly construed,…

Three universal demands characterize higher education globally: the demand for higher quality, for increased access, and for greater equity. In East Africa, where resources are highly constrained, no nation has been able to meet these demands on the basis of public expenditures alone. Instead countries have had to increase resources from nonpublic…

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina displaced the largest number of public school children ever affected by any disaster. Approximately 370,000 children, including 15,000 Latino/Hispanic children from Louisiana, were scattered throughout the 48 U.S. states (Landrieu, 2010; Louisiana Department of Education, 2004). Although much of the media…

Addresses the role of affirmative action in promoting educational equity and access, presenting affirmative action case law and offering legal grounds for continued promotion of educational opportunity and diversity. The article discusses strict scrutiny, compelling state interest, and merit, explaining how and when race should be used in…

This essay acknowledges some of the disappointing consequences of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision. It urges, however, that the strategic choices underlying that decision and the principle it articulates are sound and worthy of celebration 50 years later.

Examines the debate over education and social cohesion, reviewing relevant literature, which notes limitations of individual-level analysis of societal issues; outlining alternative models for understanding how education influences social cohesion in different societies (e.g., skills, income distribution, and indicators of social cohesion); and…

Examines the assertions that quality in education is as much an issue as equality of educational opportunity; that the goal of learning in a just society is to achieve excellence in moral and cognitive skills; and that an evolving political theory base in curriculum may cause a reorientation of educational policy and practice in light of justice.…

Author describes the case of a parent with two handicapped children faced with the almost overwhelming forces which often work against parents and children who want the public schools to provide education for the disabled. (Author/CB)

This introduction to a series of articles whose theme is sex equity and sexuality in education, defines terms (sexuality, sex or sexuality education, sex equity), discusses the importance of issues related to the theme, and highlights findings from articles in the series. (IAH)

This article offers a rationale for consideration of homosexuality in education as an equity issue; discusses ways in which homophobia creates inequities for homosexual and heterosexual females and males; identifies emerging equity issues; and recommends policy changes, counseling support, and action steps to be taken by educators and equity…