William S. Koski
- Eric and Nancy Wright Professor of Clinical Education
- Director, Youth and Education Law Project
- Room N146, Neukom Building
Expertise
- Children & the Law
- Clinical Education
- Education Law
- Policy Analysis
- Public Interest Law
- Public Interest Practice
Biography
Professor (by courtesy) of Education
An accomplished clinical teacher and litigator, William Koski (PhD ’03) is the founder and director of the law school’s Youth and Education Law Project (YELP). He and the students in the law project have represented hundreds of disadvantaged children and their families in educational equity, disability rights and school reform matters. Professor Koski and YELP are currently representing more than 60 students from across California in the path-breaking Robles-Wong v. California lawsuit that seeks to reform California’s dysfunctional and insufficient K-12 public school finance system.
Reflecting his multidisciplinary background as a lawyer and social scientist, Professor Koski’s scholarly work focuses on the related issues of educational accountability, equity and adequacy; the politics of educational policy reform; and judicial decision making in educational policy reform litigation. Professor Koski’s current research concentrates on the normative case for and policy implications of ensuring equality of educational opportunity in the current context of educational standards, adequacy and accountability.
Before joining the Stanford Law School faculty in 2001, Professor Koski was a lecturer in law at Stanford and a supervising attorney at the law school’s East Palo Alto Community Law Project. He was also an associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and then Alden, Aronovsky & Sax.
Professor Koski has an appointment (by courtesy) with the Stanford School of Education.
Education
- BBA with highest distinction University of Michigan 1990
- JD cum laude University of Michigan Law School 1993
- PhD Stanford University School of Education 2003
Related Organizations
Courses
Affiliations & Honors
- Referee (2006-Present), Teachers College Record
- Member (2005-Present), Board of Directors, Youth Law Center
- Member (2004-Present), Faculty Steering Committee, Haas Center for Public Service
- Member (2001-Present), Board of Directors, Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation
- Vice Chair (2005-2006), Faculty Steering Committee, Haas Center for Public Service
- Public Service Award (2007), IMPACT
- William R. Jentes Fellow (1990-93), University of Michigan Law School
- Recipient, Louis Honigman Memorial Award, University of Michigan Law School, 1993
- Recipient, E. Blythe Stason Award, University of Michigan Law School, 1993
Policy Practicum: Stereotype Threat and Higher Education
A large body of social psychological research has established the existence of stereotype threat–a worry that one might be viewed through the lens of a negative intellectual stereotype. This concern provokes anxiety and can undermine the academic performance of members of negatively stereotyped groups, underrepresented minority groups in particular. Stereotype threat acts like an intellectual headwind. This project will consider changes that colleges and universities institutions might undertake to reduce the effect of stereotype threat.
view practicumKey Works
News
Once-Indicted Superintendent Charlie Mae Knight Returns To Ravenswood As Board Member
San Jose Mercury News
State To Fight Lawsuit By Low-Income Students
EdSource
Incumbent Torlakson Takes The Lead In Race For State Schools Chief
Los Angeles Times
From Calif. Teachers, More Nuanced Views On Tenure
NPR Education
Activists Take Teacher Tenure Battle to More States
U.S. News and World Report
California Teacher Job Protections Struck Down In Students' Suit -- 3rd Update
The Wall Street Journal
Projects
The Coalition for Adequate Special Education Funding
Related Organizations Youth and Education Law Project Related People William S. Koski It is generally well-known that Congress and the…
Williams v. California: Expert Witness Report and Testimony
Related Organizations Youth and Education Law Project Related People William S. Koski On the 46th anniversary of Brown v. Board…
Report on 2004 County Mental Health Services In May 2004
Related Organizations Youth and Education Law Project Related People William S. Koski The Youth and Education Law Clinic released “Challenge…