History of IDEA
Jeannie Oakes, Founder and Former Director
Youth Voice in School Finance
NEW REPORT: Los Angeles' road to A-G for all
Without Dollars and Sense Powerpoint
Past Educational Opportunity Reports
Williams v. California
Williams v. California was a lawsuit concerning the quality of California's public school system for low-income students of color.
Now known as the Williams case, Williams v. California was a lawsuit filed in May 2000 and settled in May 2004 concerning the quality of California's public school system for low-income students of color. The civil case charged that California does not provide an adequate education for millions of students - primarily low-income students, students of color, immigrant students, and English learners. The case cited low teacher quality, lack of resources at many California public schools, overcrowded facilities, and unhealthy learning environments for students. The state of California agreed to settle the case, and with it defined new standards for student learning in the state, including access to textbooks, safe learning environments, ensuring the presence of well-trained teachers, and also provided school districts with $1 billion of funding to improve conditions in schools across the state. The proposed agreements can be reassessed after 5 years, at which time the plaintiffs can seek legal action if conditions in schools have not improved. The Williams case has become an important step toward education reform in the state of California, and it has proved a bold example of communities pushing for school reform.
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