amea_2010.indd


Association of Mexican American American Educators (AMAE) Journal © 2010

BOOK REVIEW

To what ends & by what means? The social justice implications of contemporary school fi nance 
theory & policy by Gloria Rodriguez and Anthony Rolle (Eds.) (2007)

 
Irina Okhremtchouk

University of California, Davis

 To What Ends and By What Means? The Social Justice Implications of Contemporary School Finance Theory 
and Policy (2007) presents an unprecedented perspective on the issues of school fi nance by engaging its readers 
in how the school fi nance theory and policy can aid in eliminating existing inequalities and support democratic 
participation by all members of the society.

Both editors, Gloria M. Rodriguez and R. Anthony Rolle, are scholars in the area of education leadership, 
fi nance, and policy. The forward to the book, authored by Patricia Gándara, provides a good lead for this piece 
by highlighting the contextual, theoretical and policy signifi cance this timely collection of scholarly work offers.  
An introductory chapter presents editors’ defi nitions for social justice in the context of school fi nance and 
invites the readers to take initial an step forward envisioning new possibilities for social justice frameworks in 
school fi nance. 

 The collection of work presented in this volume draws on critical discussions as well as advances a 
number of established prominent theories and policy views. Such discussions continue to build upon and support 
a foundation for piecing together novel contextual frameworks to understand how contemporary school fi nance 
policies might better support changes needed to improve the educational conditions faced by those individuals 
and groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in economic, political, and social policy arenas. 

 In constructing this piece of literature, the editors are very cognizant of how the information is presented 
by showcasing an array of critical debates on theory and policy. This volume highlights not only conventional 
but widely debated issues involving equity and adequacy in education fi nance – a more traditional approach, but 
takes its readers one step further through an examination of fi scal issues from a social justice perspective.  

 In all, the book has successfully incorporated the concept of social justice into the fi eld of school fi nance 
– a much needed framework that has been underutilized in the fi eld.  Discussions exploring normative political 
theory, critical race theory, school improvement factors, current views on adequacy, community strength 
framework, resources and policies necessary to provide high quality instruction for English Learner students, 
eliminating poverty in our local communities, and achieving social justice on an international level, have explored 
the issues from a socially just perspective as it relates to school fi nance and how we fund schools.   

 This timely piece continues to challenge traditional views and established perceptions in the area of school 
fi nance in its feat toward a more socially just society – a much needed change that, in the end, affects us all.  The 
book, however, introduces only two sections for readers’ deliberation – theory and policy.  Thus, making this 
book more accessible to readers who are academicians or policymakers in the fi eld and less accessible to those 
who are school and district practitioners. The volume could have been strengthened in its design by including 
a section on contemporary empirical research in the fi eld in order to make it accessible to a wider scope of 
audiences.  

 As I conclude this review, I highly recommend Rodriguez and Rolle’s book. This book has not only 
brought to light a subject that has been widely overlooked, but also managed to incorporate social justice 
framework in a multitude of discussions pertaining to various aspects of school fi nance.  As a practitioner, 
policymaker, and an academician, I can truly say that this book has stimulated and challenged my thinking as it 

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Association of Mexican American American Educators (AMAE) Journal © 2010

relates to various aspects of school fi nance and social justice.  I am confi dent that this book will continue to 
promote a more contemporary outlook on how we perceive school fi nance and the lens through which we 
conduct our scholarly writings and analysis.

 

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