This publication is a transcription of a forum held in Washington, D.C. on May 5, 2005 on K-6 math proficiency. James Hiebert, professor of education at the University of Delware, and Deborah Loewengerg Ball, collegiate professor of mathematics education and teacher education and director of teacher education at the University of Michigan, spoke…

John Marlowe, currently working with the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt, highlights the lessons about education that he has learned in Cairo. Closer to home, Judie Glave describes how love and discipline are the hallmarks of the Children's Storefront School in Harlem, New York. Its pupils come from homes scarred by drugs and violence.…

States that central to any efforts to improve urban schools is the relationship between the school managers and the teachers' union. Recommendations include creating learner-centered schools; focusing on improving the knowledge and skills of teachers; negotiating "Living Contracts"; and expanding school choice by making public schools…

Principals in urban high schools can play an important role in improving school effectiveness by adopting an educational philosophy that focuses on development of the students' sense of self-worth. (PGD)

Birmingham, like many cities, is losing its White middle class and is pressed to provide services for those who remain. The city's survival will depend on meeting specific educational goals. The mayor would welcome a Democratic president whose policies would focus on cities. (DM)

Suburban high school administrators should attempt to open lines of communication and cooperation between their schools and inner-city high schools. The quality of inner-city high schools has deteriorated in recent decades due to a variety of reasons; however, this does not mean that they should be ignored. There is still much that is worthwhile…

This book discusses how major changes in society have created significant implications for the delivery of higher education and reveals that it is not possible to educate students with any degree of success while operating under the same assumptions and the same models that were successful in the past. The author shows the significance of…

The principal of a large Boston elementary school encountered 10 barriers to high student achievement. Examines why he and his staff struggled with those barriers for most of his 15-year tenure at the school. Believes the turning point came when Massachusetts mandated high-stakes tests. (MLF)

This essay discusses impediments to student success in today's urban schools and recommends solutions for the future. The following problems are covered: (1) overcrowded classrooms; (2) student behavioral problems; (3) lack of instructional materials; (4) outdated facilities; (5) inadequate school library collections; (6) low teacher salaries; (7)…

Although the single-grade classroom has emerged as the most prevalent administrative arrangement, the existence of the split grade phenomenon continues to be a part of educational tradition in both rural and urban schools, predominantly at the elementary levels. Teachers are then forced to compromise curriculum to teach all levels simultaneously.…

Profiles Diana Lam, Gerry House, and Esperanza Zendejas, who accomplished what few women do: they became school superintendents. Qualified female candidates for superintendents are out there. School boards need to pay attention to the way they hire personnel and focus on leadership skills. In addition, boards can support professional memberships…

The Research for Better Schools Urban Education Project provides a different framework from current education-reform efforts for restructuring urban schools and improving educational quality. This volume organizes a set of invited papers according to the Urban Learner Framework themes of cultural diversity and learning, unrecognized abilities and…

The Cleveland Collaborative for Mathematics Education (C2ME) intends to change the role and status of teachers of mathematics in Cleveland's public secondary schools. This report presents the perceptions, beliefs, and practices of the teacher members of the collaborative project. This research is based upon descriptive and historical data gathered…

One of the most enduring challenges facing the public school system is decreasing the dropout rate. The highest rate of growth population in the future will be among the groups who are at greatest risk of dropping out of school. This paper outlines what school officials can do to decrease the dropout rate. The suggestions for dropout prevention…

This book presents essays from educational reformers who examine efforts aimed at students at risk for failure in U.S. schools. It is divided into four parts. Part 1 considers the factors that place children at risk for educational failure. Part 2 describes the dangers for students of a system that fails to recognize and appreciate their…