McCarthy Institute

Martha McCarthy Education Law and Policy Institute

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 hosted a webinar on The Future of Affirmative Action in College Admissions. 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, Vanessa Miller, and Jennifer Rippner are the current faculty members who specialize in education law.

I could have been a more informed, confident, and empowered teacher had I completed my education law courses years ago. I am grateful for this program and passionately believe that legal literacy should be prioritized for all educators.

Taji L. Gibson, Principal, Tri-North Middle School, Monroe County Community School Corporation, Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Education Law Certificate student

Education Law at IU

There are several options for students to specialize in Education Law. Based on IU’s national visibility, the quality and quantity of education law offerings, and our successful alumni, IU offers one of the top Education Law programs in the country.

Choose from the following programs: