"It's demoralizing to see your life's work pilloried almost daily in the news." This comment is typical of the anger and disappointment expressed by many of the more than 2,300 Chicago teachers surveyed by Deborah Lynch in 2011-2012. Lynch set out to explore how the accountability policies pursued by Chicago's board of…

In 2007, the Kettering Foundation launched a nationwide, two-year research project to learn what people in communities across the nation think about the achievement gap--and what roles they see for themselves in helping young people succeed academically. The community forums, which drew more than 3,200 participants nationwide, spotlighted elements…

By means of a qualitative research method known as folknography, a concerted effort was made to discern perceptions of math and math education in the rural Midwest. A community that will be referred to as Midville, located in the state of Illinois, was chosen as the target population for this study. The community and surrounding region stands over…

This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 40 representatives from 12 community-based organizations (CBOs) working with the Steans Center for Community-based Service-Learning at DePaul University in Chicago. These CBOs see themselves as partners with the University in educating college students about the realities of racial and…

A study was conducted to give the college current community data for educational planning and to give social science students the experience of helping to conduct a survey. The parts of the report were highlights of the survey results, purpose and background of the study, its methods and limitations, attitudes of residents to the college, and…

Copies of the computer data are available on request at actual cost. (Author/CB)

Analyzes possible differences in the attitudes of citizens, school board members, and selected community leaders toward (1) the board of education's role and function; (2) educational reform proposals; and (3) current educational issues in eight Illinois communities. Demographic characteristics did not influence each group's perceptions of reform…

Valencia, Perez & Echeveste (VPE) and the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) designed a survey to capture Latino adults' opinions about the benefits, importance, and costs associated with enrolling children in pre-kindergarten programs. The objective of the survey was to gauge support for government-subsidized pre-kindergarten programs among…

In 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka," the South Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's southwest side was home primarily to Polish and Czech immigrants. In the decades since, South Lawndale has undergone dramatic change. Eastern Europeans moved out, and people of Mexican…

PAIRING OF SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK CITY ILLUSTRATES THAT CITY'S COMMITMENT TO THE IDEA OF ACTUAL INTEGRATION. THE PROGRAM BROADENS THE CONCEPT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL INTO A COMMUNITY SCHOOL. THERE SEEM TO EXIST AT PRESENT IN PROGRAMS FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN CERTAIN TENDENCIES WHICH HAVE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES. FIRST IS THE STEREOTYPING OF ETHNIC…

The consolidation of 5 school districts into one, encompassing 377 square miles in Illinois, is described in this booklet. Information is included on the actual consolidation; the people and communities served by the new school district; programs and facilities in the elementary schools and the high school; and the Title III, Elementary and…

This report presents the results of a collaborative study undertaken by five rural, unit school districts in Illinois to provide data to be used in planning for school improvement. Information was gathered from on-site visits by teams of constituents from other districts and through a survey of perceptions of local community persons regarding…

A PRELIMINARY STEP IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING ROCK VALLEY COLLEGE IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, WAS THE COMPLETION OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY IN THE COMMUNITIES TO BE SERVED BY THE COLLEGE. THE REPORT WAS PREPARED IN 10 PARTS--(1) GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF JUNIOR COLLEGES, (2) AREA POPULATION AND ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS, (3) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND…

To obtain data about the Harper College students' and community's attitudes toward athletic programs at the college, a survey was conducted of 200 full-time and 200 part-time students and 200 randomly selected households within the school district. The return rate for the survey questionnaire was 57 percent for full-time students, 49 percent for…