This Review discusses two new books that build upon the existing literature discussing remedies in school finance litigation. Both books - Courts and Kids (Rebell) and Schoolhouses, Courthouses, Statehouses (Hanushek and Lindseth) - make significant contributions to this literature. Hanushek and Lindseth are pessimistic about the role of courts in school finance reform, but are optimistic that school finance systems that hold school districts accountable for outcomes will provide a strong impetus for future legislative reform efforts across the nation. Rebell is less optimistic about legislatures and sees a broader role for courts, but he is confident that legislative solutions will only be effective if they are guided by a court's use of both strong remedial principles and oversight. To harmonize the books' proposals, I propose a framework that leverages the strengths of both judicial and legislative oversight of school finance remedies.

Power, Constraint, and Policy Change analyzes state court influence on state education finance reform. Beginning in the early 1970s litigants began filing suits in state courts to change state education funding in order to prevent disparities in education resources between wealthy and poor communities. These cases represent a fundamental policy debate in American society, pitting the importance of education against the cost and method of funding it. Through education finance, the authors explore how and why courts often end up determining and resolving policy funding debates. Education funding has involved both the federal constitution and state constitutions, as well as legislation and court-mandated remedies, which, ultimately, determine who and how we pay for this critical American value.

Having trained in both law and social science, Lukemeyer (public administration, U. of Nevada-Las Vegas) decided that professionals in both fields could benefit from insights in the other about school finance reform. She explains the role of legal cases in reform and how they can be used for further research; and how judges, lawyers, and plaintiffs can use the insights developed in the social sciences. She looks at 25 years of cases ending in 1996. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

This book reveals the important role lawyers, law, and courts play in struggles over educational resources, especially when it comes to the translation of policy goals into legal claims.