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)

In this article, four urban high school students and their student leadership and social justice class advisor address the question, "What are high school students' perspectives on the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act's (NCLB) definition of a highly qualified teacher?" As the advisor to the course, Garcia challenged her students to examine…

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)

Urban parents, particularly those who are poor and members of a minority group, are intimidated by the schools that serve their children and, therefore, do not participate in school programs. This article suggests steps urban principals can take to establish an effective parent involvement program. (Author/WD)

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…

Urban community colleges can be distinguished from other community colleges in terms of their settings, clientele, richness and diversity of staff resources, and importance to the segments of the population who cluster in major national centers of commerce and government. In light of their unique characteristics, these institutions require study…

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)

As public institutions, community colleges are dependent for their survival and continuity upon favorable evaluations by the external constituencies that finance the colleges. Underscoring the resource-dependent nature of community colleges are the revenue limitations brought about by declining enrollments, the effects of high costs, and taxpayer…

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)…

Postulates that the use of competition and directed cooperation to maintain orderly classrooms discriminates against those less able to compete. Suggests the use of group projects to foster cooperation and enhance student discipline and morale. (CJM)

Three problems of New York City (New York) schools--overpopulation, low academic standards, violence--are examined, and an effort led by parent and teacher organizations to improve conditions is described. Threatened closings (schools under registration review, SURR) and a program of violence reduction (Straight Talk about Risks, STAR) are noted.…