On December 14, 2017 the FCC voted to repeal the net neutrality rules adopted by the FCC on February 26, 2015. The repeal goes into effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. When the 539 page repeal order was released on January 4, 2018 it was not known when it would be published in the Federal Register. The repeal is being…

The purpose of the study was to broaden awareness of legislative intentions associated with a State's facilities funding policy (Texas' Instructional Facilities Allotment, IFA). Recognizing the politically contested nature of school funding, arguments in support and against investing in facilities appear equally replete. Be that as it may, some…

This paper examines the debate in the U.S. Senate over the reasons why state governments have decreased funding for higher education. One side believes that federal mandates on states to pay for Medicaid have forced them to reduce spending on higher education. The other side believes that states unwisely reduced taxes, which decreased their…

Just 18 minutes before the midnight signing deadline on May 15, 2010, Minnesota state legislators breathed a sigh of relief. Their bipartisan pension reform legislation, which passed both chambers by large margins and aimed to help shore up a potentially failing pension system, had just escaped a veto threat. Under pressure from his Republican…

At the heart of the longstanding debate of addressing racial inequities in higher education is an argument about whether race should be a factor in admissions decisions. One argument is that institutions should be held accountable for diversity through external policies like affirmative action. Alternatively, there is the position that…

Policies in California are examined to inform analysts of the process by which legal recognition of same-sex relationships may be achieved. Content analysis was conducted of relevant legislation, court cases, and voter initiatives, along with interviews with state legislators to gain an eyewitness understanding of the social climate surrounding…

Public attitudes about juvenile crime play a significant role in fashioning juvenile justice policy; variations in the wording of public opinion surveys can produce very different responses and can result in inaccurate and unreliable assessments of public sentiment. Surveys that ask about policy alternatives in vague terms are especially…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 makes significant and controversial changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Two very significant changes in this law are provisions that (a) allow school districts to spend up to 15% of their IDEA Part B funds on early intervening services in…

Examines the issue of absolute individual immunity under section 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code. Explores the doctrine's historical background, the distinction between actions for damages and injunctions, and projects the doctrine's future effect. Available from DePaul Law Review, DePaul University College of Law, 25 East Jackson…

This research study explores the policy expansion of school choice within the methodological approach of event history analysis. The first section provides a comparative overview of state adoption of public school choice laws. After creating a statistical portrait of the contemporary landscape for school choice, the authors introduce event history…

Article considered the impact of legislative and judicial action on teacher education institutions and directed particular attention to the issues of teacher certification, professional standards and teacher' rights, and finance. (Editor/RK)

Learning disability label establishes accommodation eligibility and civil rights protection but provides an excuse for school officials and legislators to adopt a medical model of learning disabilities and ignore other problems in the educational and social systems. A commitment to inclusion and equality requires an acknowledgement of various…

In this article, the authors explore this new level of tribal political sophistication and how the tribes sought to pressure state legislators by pursuing a public relation campaign centered on issues of economic interest and sovereignty. Though they have been unsuccessful in recent legislative sessions, there is evidence of a growing…

Discusses Florida and California court decisions on whether collective bargaining agreements negotiated by public university faculty unions are subject to subsequent appropriation of funds by the state legislature. Compares state statutes to ascertain the extent of collective bargaining rights afforded to faculty in public higher education.…

Gives background information on 12 famous litigators who each influenced the future of the judicial system and transformed the United States into what it is today; included, among others, are John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Thurgood Marshall, Daniel Webster, and Clara Shortridge Foltz. (CMK)