In many urban areas, educators rely on magnet schools to strike a delicate balance between the need to create opportunities for equity in education and the need for parents to have greater choice among schools. But, are magnet schools successful? This document considers whether they fulfill the promises of high achievement and desegregation in…

Do social policy intellectuals and their research help to strengthen quality education? Was the 1954 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Topeka Board of Education, which relied heavily on social science research, flawed in its reasoning on school desegregation, equal educational opportunity, and quality education for African Americans?…

This document reports on the eighth of a series of hearings on the reauthorization of expiring Federal elementary and secondary education programs. Seven expert witnesses, including representatives of the Department of Education and professional and community organizations, gave testimony concerning a number of micscellaneous federal programs. The…

This paper summarizes events leading to the interdistrict settlement of the St. Louis (Missouri) school desegregation case. Remarks are focused on four points: (1) an overview of the settlement process and rationale, (2) an explanation of the principal provisions, (3) a brief analysis of the implementation process, and (4) a discussion of the…

This report presents the evaluation results of the Queens Tri-School Confederation magnet programs in New York City: programs designed to reduce minority-group isolation among high school students in three high schools and simultaneously improve the quality of their education through the sharing of resources and expertise. These programs, which…

Existing choice plans, which allow parents and students to choose among a variety of schools, vary dramatically in size, shape, and purpose. Different types of choice programs have different impacts, especially on low-income and minority group students; and it is not yet clear how school choice programs should be structured to assure that those…

This report evaluates the success of the magnet school program in the Houston (Texas) Independent School District for the 1987-88 school year. The following sections are included: (1) "Overview of the District"; (2) "History of Desegregation in Houston"; (3) "Development of Houston's Magnet School Program"; (4)…

This report evaluates the success of the magnet school program in the Houston (Texas) Independent School District for the 1988-89 school year. The following sections are included: (1) "Overview of the District"; (2) "History of Desegregation in Houston"; (3) "Development of Houston's Magnet School Program"; (4)…

This report discusses findings from a comprehensive national survey of the effectiveness of magnet schools in improving the quality of public education and in assisting school desegregation. Chapter I provides background information on the concept and evolution of magnet schools; discusses the purposes of the national survey and several issues…