This entry introduces the professional judgment (PJ) approach to determining the cost of an adequate education. It describes the process for defining the concept of adequacy, the selection of educators to serve on PJ panels, the role of the research team in facilitating the panel deliberations, the role of experts and evidence in the approach, and the criticisms of the approach.

In the United States, the financing of public schooling is largely left to the individual states. Most state constitutions include clauses stating that it is the responsibility of the state to provide education free of charge to all kindergarten through 12th-grade students, and many use terms such as adequate, sufficient, or thorough and efficient to describe their obligation. In an attempt to hold states accountable ...