As the incomes of affluent and poor families have diverged over the past three decades, so too has the educational performance of their children. But how exactly do the forces of rising inequality affect the educational attainment and life chances of low-income children? In "Whither Opportunity?" a distinguished team of economists,…

The longing for a sense of "community" has become a major theme in recent writings about educational and social issues. An analysis of the potential for creating viable and meaningful community in schools is the focus of this book. Using sociological theory and social analysis, it examines how schools achieve community and explores how…

The study documents what happened in 10 rural communities when a federal educational funding program (Experimental Schools) in 1972 provided 5-year grants for demonstration projects designed both to improve the school system and, through the schools, to address a variety of community needs. The study employs two strategies to document the ways in…