In U.S. schools, approximately 30 percent of the enrolled students in 1990-91 were racial-ethnic minorities. Principals must be skilled in incorporating this diversity into supportive climates for learning. Principals who themselves are members of racial-ethnic minority groups may serve as role models for staff and students in schools with high or…

This publication reviews works on educational reform that represent attempts to do more than merely respond in knee-jerk fashion to political pressure for reform. Bruce Joyce and Emily Calhoun, in "Learning Experiences in School Renewal: An Exploration of Five Successful Programs" (Eugene, Oregon: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational…

Trends in the growth of the immigrant student population over the last 10 years are traced, and issues and challenges that such students present for the member cities of the Great City Schools are highlighted. About 9.5 million immigrants, representing almost 60% of the nation's entire immigrant population, entered the United States in the 1980s,…

This issue features the opinions of some highly respected, but often controversial, educators who stand outside the mainstream of education reform. They often advocate more structured and top-down approaches to the problems of urban students as they consider the standards that must be created to promote achievement for all students. "No Magic…

Equity does not require that everyone have the same amount of resources to satisfy basic needs, but it does require that each of us be able to live decently. The articles in this issue focus on poverty and its effects on children, particularly with respect to education and the ability to learn. The following articles are included: (1) "Poor Kids…

Enrollments in city public schools over the last 20 years are reviewed and analyzed. Enrollment in the member cities of the Great City Schools (GCS) declined at twice the national rate between 1970 and 1990, at 23.1% versus 10.2%. The composition of urban school enrollment also changed dramatically. The Anglo American share of GCS enrollment…

The numbers of students receiving a high school diploma in New Jersey and differences in graduation rates for males and females and for minority and non-minority students are examined. Conclusions are based on graduation totals reported by the school districts. In the country as a whole, 71% of all students receive a high school diploma by age 18…

The papers in this document feature four themes: religion and education, the nature of childhood and its relationship to education, urban educational problems, and the character of educational journalism. Part 1 begins with "A Common Faith for the Common School? Religion and Education in Kansas, 1861-1900" (J. C. Carper) which compares…

This report contains several articles that focus on the new digital divide, which is no longer just one wide gap between those with and those without computers, but is instead a series of divides that create inequities for different reasons. The first article explains how certain types of students are not getting the high-tech experiences they…

The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) provides tax support for children from low-income families to attend private schools. It is administered by the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction, although lack of administrative support for the program has been apparent. In addition, the Superintendent of Public Instruction has expressed…

This volume of New Directions for Community Colleges features case studies of six prototypical urban community college systems and the challenges they face. The chapters provide guides for those interested in the unique mission of urban institutions: (1) "Urban America and the Community College Imperative: The Importance of Open Access and…

These three volumes contain articles related to (1) improving educational productivity (lessons from economics); (2) school-to-work (STW); and (3) reduced class size, offering recommendations from national invitational conferences. Topics include making schools work; tax revolts and school performance; market pressure and the impact on…