|
Activity Number:
|
90
|
|
Type:
|
Invited
|
|
Date/Time:
|
Monday, July 30, 2007 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
|
|
Sponsor:
|
Committee on Law and Justice Statistics
|
| Abstract - #307723 |
|
Title:
|
Two Percentiles in Court: The Zuni School District Case
|
|
Author(s):
|
Joseph L. Gastwirth*+
|
|
Companies:
|
George Washington University
|
|
Address:
|
2140 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20052,
|
|
Keywords:
|
school funding equity ; measure of disparity ; calculating percentiles ; statutory interpretation
|
|
Abstract:
|
In 1994, the U.S. Congress rewrote the Federal Impact Aid law. Rather than give the Dep't. of Educ. the power to establish a measure of disparity to assess the equality of school funds in a state, the law specified a formula that differed in some respects. The Department interpreted the new formula to be identical to its former one. The Department determined that New Mexico would qualify as "equalized" under its interpretation but the Zuni District asserted that under the new statute the local areas not the state deserved the $60 million. The way the lower courts discussed the calculation and the speaker's views of the statistical aspects of the case will be described. As the U.S. Supreme Court has accepted the case, its resolution will also be discussed if the decision is handed down this term.
|
