This article discusses the inequality in public education. The core issues of educational inequality are related to matters of race, social justice, democratic equality, and the diversity curriculum. Many of these issues are only marginally understood or accepted as legitimate by most teachers, teacher educators, and administrators (of any race)…

A critical issue facing U.S. schools and one with broad social implication is the persistent disparity in educational achievement between racial/ethnic groups. The achievement gap may be particularly pronounced for Mexican-Americans who constitute the vast majority of U.S. Latinos and are among the most educationally at risk of all Latino…

This paper discusses challenges initiated by first and second generation Latino and Chinese American fourth graders in an urban elementary school, toward the perspective of California history in the mandated Social Studies curriculum. The required text highlighted significant moments in California and United States history with limited, if any,…

This Opportunity 08 position paper advises that the next President of the United States should focus on lifting the achievement levels of our nation's schoolchildren. It recommends that the new President should mount a determined effort, together with states and local school districts, to boost the academic performance of low achievers by: (1)…

This is the 2011 Yearbook of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA). This Yearbook contains five parts. Part I, Invited Chapters, includes: (1) NCPEA President's Message, 2011 (Gary W. Kinsey); (2) Shadows and Images II (Lloyd Duvall); and (3) Micropolitics in the School: Teacher Leaders' Use of Political Skill…

This chapter describes the organization, operations, and goals of the Alliance for Equity in Higher Education, a national coalition of associations and institutions founded to serve the emerging majority of racially diverse college students.

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States, and the recent influx of Hispanics has turned some states into "majority-minority" populations. Texas has announced that it has joined California, New Mexico and Hawaii in the club, with a 50.2 percent minority population. According to March 2002 U.S. Census Department data,…

This article focuses on the basic idea that having equality and justice for all in schooling cannot be achieved in the current climate where students are viewed solely as individuals. In fact, given the educational debt and achievement gaps, the ideas of equality and justice are necessarily contradictory. Achieving justice, in light of the…

Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic population in the United States. This chapter presents demographic projections for higher education and discusses the role of the transfer function in community colleges. Two notable transfer programs are highlighted. (Contains 1 table.)

This chapter presents an overview of the demographic shifts occurring in the United States and discusses the associated rapid increase in the number of community college students from diverse racial backgrounds. Profiles of two community colleges offer examples of timely responses to emerging majority students' academic, economic, and social…

The education of Latino students in the United States has been characterized by a misunderstanding of the role of language and culture in their learning. The author describes some strategies that principals can use to create conditions for their success, including in-depth knowledge of Latino students and their families, dual language programs,…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "Chance Favors the Prepared Mind": Report Finds that Students in the Highest-Achieving States Score As Well…

This report summarizes the postsecondary plans and scholarship monies of graduates of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) high school seniors in SY07-08. Postsecondary plans represent the intentions of seniors the year after graduation. Students indicate whether they plan to attend a 4-year college/university, junior/community…

This report is the nation's sixth look at how its major city school systems are performing on the state assessments devised to boost standards, measure progress, provide opportunity, and ensure accountability for results. Data are presented on 66 city school systems from 38 states and the District of Columbia. The statistics are presented…

The English-only initiatives sweeping the United States are mainstreaming English language learners into content-area classes designed for native or fluent English speakers, with little, if any, English as a second language (ESL) support. This spells trouble for the ever-growing population of Latinos because ESL teachers are not likely to have the…