The goal of the McCarthy Institute is to increase legal literacy by offering publications, as well as in-person and virtual events. Every other summer, we invite educational leaders, attorneys, policymakers, professors, and others to attend an in-person conference at Indiana University. The one-day conference includes panel and small group discussions addressing current issues in education law and policy. The next conference will be held in June 2024.

Throughout the year, we also provide virtual events for participants nationwide to improve access to legal learning. Most recently, the McCarthy Institute held a virtual book discussion on Schoolhouse Burning by University of South Carolina Professor of Law and Ernest L. Hollings Chair in Constitutional Law Derek W. Black. You can receive periodic updates about future programming by signing up for our email list.

The Institute carries the name of Martha McCarthy, a faculty member at the IU School of Education from 1975 to 2011 who is internationally recognized as an expert in education law. Her research has covered a variety of educational leadership and policy matters, including student engagement, equity in schools, teacher preparation, and religion in schools.

Because of Martha McCarthy's impactful work, IU now houses one of the largest education law programs in the nation. Janet Decker and Jennifer Rippner are the current faculty members who specialize in education law.