Special education law and practice have undergone profound transformation over the past 50 years. Students with disabilities are now more likely to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible; however, the ideals of the law have not always been manifested in effective practice. Although special education…

Like medical practitioners, educators share the moral obligation to "first, do no harm." But as this provocative volume shows, education policies do not always live up to this ideal, especially policies intended to help our most vulnerable students. "When School Policies Backfire" draws our attention to education policies…

The case stories presented in this publication focus on young people from vulnerable communities that the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) members are actively engaged with and who have been mobilized in ASPBAE programs for youth leadership and capacity development. Their narratives showcase the successes of…

Confirmation of the current enthusiasm for re-visioning progressive education arrived in inboxes this fall when the Bank Street College of Education received more submissions for this issue than for any other in the journal's 17-year history. From these the editors have selected a range of essays that reflect pre-kindergarten through high-school…

Educators and policy makers confront challenging questions of ethics, justice, and equity on a regular basis. Should teachers retain a struggling student if it means she will most certainly drop out? Should an assignment plan favor middle-class families if it means strengthening the school system for all? These everyday dilemmas are both utterly…

The best-known model for large-scale private giving to foster education reform is Walter Annenberg's $500 million gift to U.S. public education in 1993. The biggest chunk of this money was used to fund challenge grants in the nine largest U.S. cities. The three case studies and commentary in this report evaluate the success of the Annenberg…

The Urban Mathematics Collaborative (UMC) Project was a 5-year effort to reform mathematics instruction in urban schools by empowering mathematics teachers. Targeting over 3,000 high school mathematics teachers in collaboratives in 11 urban areas, including San Francisco (California), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), and New Orleans (Louisiana), the…

This book presents papers that address research methods, policies, and programs that can accommodate the considerable student diversity commonly found among at-risk students as well as portraits of particular at-risk students. The following papers and their authors are included: "At-Risk Students: Insights from/about Research" (Robert…

The research reported in this book develops a theme introduced in a previous work published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, "Our Children at Risk" (1995), which noted the integration of services as a way to provide more effective services for families and children at risk of school failure. Part 1 of this…

This collection of papers explores federal, state, and local efforts across the United States to ensure that all students have equal and equitable educational opportunities. The book begins with an introduction, "Title I Schoolwide Programs: Examining Evidence from the Field" (Dianne L. Taylor and Elizabeth A. Kemper). Section 1,…

This study of students at risk was conducted to determine who is at risk, what puts students at risk, what schools are doing to help those students, and how effective these efforts are. Data were collected on about 49,000 students and almost 10,000 teachers in over 275 schools in 85 U.S. communities, and researchers conducted case studies of 65…

This book examines the maligned students who populate urban schools and finds a talented group of resilient young people who deserve the support of the larger society. The editors and authors explore the ways such students are undermined, in the process developing new ways of teaching based on an understanding and appreciation of them.…

The essays in this volume seek to elucidate the policies and processes whereby groups of students in 15 (mainly industrialized) countries are designated as special, and differential treatment is legitimated, organized, and financed. Essays and authors are as follows: "An Overview of Experience in Fifteen Countries" (W. Donovan, A.…

This document contains nine papers devoted to the labor market problems faced by out-of-school and other disadvantaged young people in the United States and policy options and strategies for addressing those problems. The papers update the data on out-of-school young adults, review the lessons learned from past youth programs and policies,…