Black male teachers make up less than 2% of the U.S. public school labor force. A prevalent discourse among educational stakeholders has suggested that Black male teachers are the key to helping students in urban schools develop skills to succeed in school by acting as role models. This assertion presents Black male teachers as a panacea to…

Preparing teachers to work in urban public schools--and to remain there--is a daunting challenge. In an age plagued with the overrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students placed in special education programs, it is important that teacher preparation programs within the field of special education devote attention to the…

This Issue Brief explores the promising role that career and technical education programs play in addressing key student achievement issues facing urban schools. CTE programs engage urban students by providing rigorous and relevant coursework, fostering positive relationships, establishing clear pathways and connecting education and…

The current generation of urban pre-service teachers attended K-12 schools under the increasing influence of a testing and standards-based, market-driven education, a trend that has been growing since the 1990s (Ravitch, 2010). Because of this, I argue here that exposing these pre-service teachers to an inquiry-driven learning experience, in this…

"ePerformance: Crafting, Rehearsing, and Presenting the ePortfolio Persona" exposes vital intersections between pedagogy and performance to reveal how using ePortfolio encourages not only student-centered learning, but facilitates collaboration through cooperative exchanges. Productive interactivity with audiences who actively influence…

Postsecondary credentials are increasingly important to labor market success. Community colleges provide a key pathway to these credentials for many, including low-income and nontraditional students. Unfortunately, many community college students leave before earning a degree or credential, especially those who enter underprepared for…

This is the executive summary for the report, "Commencement Day: Six-Year Effects of a Freshman Learning Community Program at Kingsborough Community College." As part of MDRC's multisite Opening Doors demonstration, Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York--a large, urban college in the City University of New York (CUNY)…

Describes benefits of entrepreneurship education. Includes some examples of how entrepreneurship education can be added to the middle-school curriculum. (PKP)

Eleven papers describe and evaluate state and city programs which appear to have been successful in helping the educationally disadvantaged realize their potential. To pinpoint possible factors which hinder achievement, the papers also identify some of the characteristics of these students and their homes and communities. (NH)

This report examines the 1988-1989 Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) program as it operated in 30 New York City public high schools under new guidelines and broadened student eligibility criteria. Part I introduces the dropout prevention program, lists program guidelines and objectives, and describes the evaluation methodology. Part…

WITHIN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, LITERATURE ON EDUCATION OF THE "CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED" HAS EXPANDED TREMENDOUSLY. LITERATURE ON ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE AMONG THE CULTURALLY DISADVANTAGED HAS PROLIFERATED. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO SYNTHESIZE SUCH LITERATURE AND TO PLACE IT IN A PROPER PERSPECTIVE. ITS AIM WAS TO AID THE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR…

Describes impact of teacher contract language on efforts to improve the quality of education at Stuyvesant High School, one of New York City's elite exam schools. (PKP)

John Bourne High School in Queens, New York, offers an agricultural program enrolling more than 400 students. The curriculum includes agricultural career exploration, plant and animal science, summer land laboratories, and a special education component. (SK)