The Thomas B. Fordham Institute is launching a new grant program called Fordham Scholars.

(The program) ... aims to fund junior researchers working on key issues in American K-12 education.

The foundation will award three to five grants ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 each year.

Advanced doctoral students and junior faculty members--especially those in economics, law, political science, and public policy--are invited to apply for these grants.

This year's theme: The Courts and K-12 Education. Successful projects will examine how the courts (state, federal, etc.) may affect the ability of educators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to foster stronger pupil achievement; greater choices for families; more efficient school operations; promising innovations in curriculum, instruction, school organization and, leadership; and sound, workable accountability mechanisms.

Under the topic of "School finance litigation and its effect on sound budgetary practices," I wonder who might submit a proposal to examine the redeployment of budget items from, say, personnel (administrative?) lines, to Tablet PC, and other mobile PC equipment purchases and support in order to increase teaching-learning efficiency.

Or perhaps, under the topic "Special education litigation (and costs)," to analyze the extent to which special education funds may be used to purchase and maintain mobile PCs for special education students to complete successfully more regular curricula than now.

Application deadline: February 15, 2008.

Thanks, Mark Walsh, for the tip.

Tablet PC Education Blog