William C. Bosher Jr. is a former teacher, high school principal, superintendent, and chief state school officer. He has a bachelor of arts in English from the University of Richmond, a master of education degree in counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and a doctoral degree in educational administration from the University of Virginia. He has served on numerous legislative and gubernatorial commissions and presently directs a statewide project on leadership for reform. He is a Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Education, Executive Director of the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute, and Dean of the School of Education at VCU.

Kate R. Kaminski is an attorney who practices in the field of education law. As the Director of Legal and Policy Services for the Virginia School Boards Association, Kate advised school boards, superintendents, and administrators on current issues in the area of school law and policy. She also was involved in drafting local school board policy. Thereafter, she went to work for the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute, continuing to work on state, regional and local education policy issues. Kate has also served as a consultant to the Virginia Center for School Safety and has written an article on student searches (The right to search students, Educational Leadership, 59(4), December 2001/January 2002). Currently, Kate serves as a consultant in education law and policy while raising her two children.

Richard S. Vacca, a former college administrator and professor of education law, received a bachelor's degree in government from Lafayette College, a master of science degree in secondary education from S.U.N.Y Oneonta, and a doctoral degree in educational administration from Duke University. He completed two years of post-doctoral study at the University of Richmond Law School. The author of five books, numerous book chapters, and articles in national journals on education law, Professor Vacca is co-author (with William C. Bosher Jr.) of Law and Education: Contemporary Issues and Court Decisions (Sixth Edition, Lexis Law Publishing, 2003). He currently serves as Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow of the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University.