Education in the 50 States : A Deskbook of the History of State Constitutions and Laws About Education

The Institute for Educational Equity and Opportunity (IFEEO) has reopened the national debate on a right to education with the release of Education in the 50 States.

This book was prepared by legal and American history scholars at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP) under a grant from IFEEO.

The book explores the earliest history of education in each state, and demonstrates that early colonists viewed education in terms that remain as true today as they were then -- a vital democracy requires educated citizens who have the tools necessary to vote, train the next generation of leaders, and perform useful work.

A State Educational Histories Summaries section includes, for each state, a timeline of significant education-related events, a narrative summary of the history of education in that state, and a rich bibliography of books and documents used, including many little known or hard-to-find sources.