January 19, 2005

Educators Burdened by Thousands of Legal Obligations A new study by Common Good has collected all the laws and regulations governing a typical public high school in New York City.  Take a look at Over Ruled, an entertaining web interface that illustrates the burden of law on public schools nationwide. Even relatively routine decisions can take months to complete.  For example, suspending a disruptive student involves 66 steps and legal considerations which can take 105 days to complete.  Our web interface contains "How Do I?" flowcharts that illustrate how intimidating and time-consuming this and other procedures can be. "The burden of law has become staggering," said Common Good chair Philip K. Howard.  "If teachers and principals are forced to spend their time working through these arduous procedures, how will they have the energy, enthusiasm, and time to educate?" The American Association of School Administrators and the National School Boards Association have both commended Common Good's Over Ruled project for raising this important national issue.  "The demands of excessive paperwork are taking precious time, money, and attention away from education nationwide," said Dr. Paul Houston, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators. Visit our Over Ruled page now.