Williams Settlement
San Bernardino County
Superintendent of Schools
Gary Thomas, Ed.D.
County Superintendent
Ted Alejandre
Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
The Williams Lawsuit Settlement, reached and enacted into law*in August
2004, aligns with the current goals of providing equitable educational
opportunity and closing the achievement gap in San Bernardino County and
throughout California. The Williams Legislation offers an opportunity for
county and district superintendents to work collaboratively to support and
assist underperforming schools to improve student achievement.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed Williams v. California in 2000 on
behalf of the plaintiffs—nearly 100 students from San Francisco County— as a
class action lawsuit against the State of California and its educational
agencies. The basis of the lawsuit was that public school agencies failed
to provide public school students with equal access to instructional
materials, safe and decent school facilities and qualified teachers. The
issues of equity for poor and minority students, particularly in large and
urban school districts, were the crux of the case.
The legislation calls for county superintendents to annually visit decile
1-3 schools to ensure their compliance with the Williams Legislation and
also to report annually to the district governing board, the county board of
education and the county board of supervisors on the status of those
schools.
Fundamentally, there should be no disparity in the adequacy of textbooks,
housing and staffing for California’s public schools students. At the San
Bernardino County Schools office, we are working collaboratively with our
districts in a manner that will benefit their students and schools and
support their mission for educating all children.
Special thanks to the District Superintendents’ Williams Settlement Advisory Committee and the
SBCSS Williams Settlement Leadership Team.
Mr. James Kruk Williams Settlement Manager For additional information, please contact: Ms. Caren Keele by e-mail or by calling (909) 386-2416 Last Updated:2010-06-02 11:23:48
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