The Thief in the Classroom is a primer for those charged with creating and administering public policy regarding the finance of public education and should be required reading for legislators, board members, administrators, and teacher leaders. The straightforward narrative serves to transform a "mysterious concept" into an understandable topic. -- Kenneth Hull, EdD, retired superintendent A must-read for educational leadership at all levels. Swensson, Lehman, and Ellis detail both the form and the function of flawed funding formulas, identifying institutionalized inequity as the inevitable outcome. This is an overdue offering! -- Tracy Dust, Executive Director Emeritus, Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents Finally, a review of the inconsistencies and unequal treatment of school systems when it comes to school funding. If US public education is truly a priority, why does the success of America's students rely more on their zip code than any other factor? The authors are experienced and knowledgeable educators who can speak first-hand to the inequalities and inconsistencies that prevent school improvement initiatives and student success. -- Jim Freeland, EdD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Purdue University.