Education Equity Project

Implementing Williams

STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

• Books to use in the class and to take home
• Clean and safe schools
• Qualified Teachers

WHAT IS THE WILLIAMS V. CALIFORNIA SETTLEMENT?

On May 17, 2000, civil rights organizations filed a lawsuit against the State of California because of the terrible conditions in many of its public schools (the Williams v. California case.) Students, parents, and teachers argued that the State is failing to provide thousands of public school students, particularly those in low-income communities and communities of color, with the basic necessities required for an education.
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They argued that the State's failure to provide these bare minimum necessities to all public school students in California violates the state's constitution, as well as state and federal requirements that students be given equal access to public education without regard to race, color, or national origin. In August 2004, a settlement (legal agreement) was announced. The settlement requires that all students have books and that their schools be clean and safe. It takes ssteps to make sure that student have books and that their schools be clean and safe. It takes steps to make sure that students have qualified teachers and that schools deliver these important resources to students. As a result of the settlement, a new California law was passed establishing the Uniform Complaint Process for reporting a school's or school district' failure to provide these resources. Cal. Educ. Code Section 35186.