July 2011 Issue:
Resources:
Over the last four decades, Latino and African American students made great gains on the long-term National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), while white students also raised their scores. Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy, posted a summary of this progress on The Huffington Post.
Linda Darling-Hammond --- an internationally renowned leader in education --- was awarded the Teachers College, Columbia University, medal for distinguished service at this year's commencement ceremony. Professor Darling-Hammond marked the occasion by delivering an insightful address, later published in "The Nation".
While increasing revenues helped 16 states avoid school funding cuts this year, some states used mounting surpluses to extend tax breaks for the wealthiest even while slashing education funding, Both preK-12 and public colleges and universities suffered as many regular legislative sessions came to a close on June 30.
A recent report by the NAACP titled "Misplaced Priorities: Under Educate, Over Incarcerate" contains alarming news and statistics for public schools. During another budget season marked by deep cuts across Pre-K-12 and higher education, the report found that 33 states have been increasing prison spending over the last several years.
The supreme courts of Washington and South Dakota will rule on appeals in educational opportunity and adequacy/equity cases. Plaintiffs won in the trial court in Washington, and defendants won in the trial court in South Dakota.
Plaintiffs still await a decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court in the educational opportunity case Abbeville v. State, which was argued before the court three years ago.
Likely this fall, the Florida 1st District Court of Appeal will issue a decision on the state defendants' writ of prohibition in Citizens for Strong Schools v. State, and the California Superior Court will issue its decision on the state defendants' motion for judgment on the pleadings in Robles-Wong v. State and Citizens for Quality Education v. State.
July 28-31, 2011 - Save Our Schools March, including a rally on July 30 at The Ellipse, Washington, DC.
August 11-13, 2011 - Congressional Black Caucus Institute's annual policy conference, including educational equity among many topics, Tunica, MS.
September 15-16, 2011 - Education summit on "Within School Discrimination and Funding - Effective Us of Title VI," sponsored by Citizens for Better Schools & Sustainable Communities, where David Sciarra, ELC Executive Director, will deliver a keynote address, Birmingham, AL.
September 21-24, 2011 - Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 41st Annual Legislative Conference, where David Sciarra will speak on "Ensuring African American Students Get the Education They Deserve," Washington, DC.
Date Unknown, 2011 - Plaintiffs anticipate filing an educational opportunity and school funding case in state court against the State of Texas, based on the current Texas school funding system and the $4 billion cut to state education funding recently enacted by the legislature and signed by the governor.
Send announcements of upcoming events for the Education Justice calendar to: info@educationjustice.org

The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.

-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

CONTACT INFORMATION

Email: info@educationjustice.org

Phone: (973) 624-1815

Web: http://www.educationjustice.org
 
State-by-state information on school funding litigation, past and pending, can be found at this web page.

If you wish to change your email address, or if this newsletter was forwarded to you by a friend and you would like to join our mailing list directly, please send your request to info@educationjustice.org