Photo of Superfine, Benjamin M.

Benjamin M. Superfine, JD, PhD

Professor

Educational Policy Studies

Contact

Building & Room:

1208 ETMSW

Address:

1040 W. Harrison St. (MC 147), Chicago, IL 60607

Office Phone:

(312) 355-0362

About

Benjamin M. Superfine is a Professor in the College of Education, where his research interests center on education law and policy.

Superfine received his JD and PhD in Education Foundations and Policy from the University of Michigan.  Before joining UIC, Superfine practiced law at Dow Lohnes PLLC in Washington, D.C.  Superfine's research focuses on the history of education law and policy, school finance reform, standards-based reform and accountability, teacher evaluation, and collective bargaining. His research is interdisciplinary and addresses educational issues through the lenses of law, history, and social science. He is the founder and Director of the Research on Urban Education Policy Initiative at UIC.

Selected Publications

Superfine, B. M. & Woo, D. S. (2018). Teacher unions, charter schools, and the public/private distinction in education law and policy. Teachers College Record. 120(10), 1-28.

Superfine, B. M. & Thompson, A. (2016). Interest groups, the courts, and educational equality: A policy regimes approach to Vergara v. California, American Educational Research Journal, 53(3), 573-604.

Superfine, B. M. (2013). Equality in education law and policy: 1954-2010. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Superfine, B. M. (2008). The courts and standards-based education reform. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Professional Leadership

Director, Research on Urban Education Policy Initiative

Notable Honors

2017, Honoring Our Professors’ Excellence Award, University of Illinois at Chicago

2014, Critics Choice Book Award for Equality in Education Law and Policy, American Educational Studies Association

2012, Researcher of the Year Rising Star Award in Social Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago

2009, Steven S. Goldberg Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Education Law for The Courts and Standards-based Education Reform, Education Law Association

Education

2005 - PhD, University of Michigan, Foundations and Policy
2003 - JD, University of Michigan
1998 - BA, University of Pennsylvania

Research Currently in Progress

Superfine is a Professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Superfine received his J.D. and Ph.D. in Education Foundations and Policy from the University of Michigan. Before joining UIC, Superfine practiced law at Dow Lohnes PLLC. His research focuses on the history of education law and policy, school finance reform, standards-based reform and accountability, teacher evaluation, and collective bargaining. His research is interdisciplinary and addresses educational issues through the lenses of law, history, and social science. Superfine teaches classes on the history, development, implementation, and analysis of education policy, in addition to the foundations of education research.

Superfine's work has been published in various educational and legal journals, including the American Educational Research Journal, American Journal of Education, Cardozo Law Review, Educational Policy, and Teachers College Record. Superfine's first book, The Courts and Standards-based Reform, was published by Oxford University Press. His second book, Equality in Education Law and Policy: 1954-2010, was published by Cambridge University Press.

Superfine is also the founder and Director of the Research on Urban Education Policy Initiative (RUEPI).  RUEPI is a project at the UIC College of Education that is aimed at fostering more informed dialogue and decision-making about education policy in Chicago and other urban areas.  The initiative is primarily aimed at enhancing the knowledge base of non-academic education policy stakeholders about some of the most important issues in education policy.  RUEPI produces peer-reviewed policy briefs and holds conferences on several major policy areas, including early childhood education, inclusion, STEM education, and teacher workforce policy.