It has been 50 years since magnet schools were first used to address segregation in public schools. The context of magnet schools has changed dramatically during this time, raising questions about the role of magnet schools in a modern context. This study utilized data from a large urban district with more than 100 magnet schools to assess…

Chicago's magnet schools were one of the nation's earliest experiments in choice-driven school desegregation, originating among civil rights advocates and academic education experts in the 1960s and appearing at specific sites in Chicago's urban landscape during the 1970s. The specific concerns that motivated the creation of magnet schools during…

Despite their long history and importance in the American curriculum, music programs must constantly justify their place in the twenty-first century. Urban areas that are economically depressed sometimes may not be able to offer music instruction due to the emphasis on raising test scores as well as unfavorable economic conditions that may limit…

Magnet schools were originally created to attract a diverse student population. Using data from the 23 magnet schools in St. Louis, this longitudinal study is twofold: first, to review the performance outcomes of the magnet schools across a 5-year period, between 2005-2006 and 2009-2010, and second, to examine whether the magnet schools are…

Martha Urioste tells a compelling history of public sector Montessori in Denver, from its socially charged beginnings in the 1960s to 2009. She played a huge role in creating the first public Montessori school in Colorado that was launched as an integration model with bilingual classes and staff. This inspirational story begins with her early…

Connecticut's interdistrict magnet schools offer a model of choice-based desegregation that appears to satisfy current legal constraints. This study presents evidence that interdistrict magnet schools have provided students from Connecticut's central cities access to less racially and economically isolated educational environments and estimates…

Considers magnet school programs in eight cities and concludes that the integrative function of these schools is questionable. Proposes that the goal of improving educational opportunity through magnet schools effects only a small number of students. (Author/MK)

Historical and practical realities of the desegregation process are outlined from a legal perspective. The court remedies have not enjoyed widespread success. Magnet schools have merit, but the number of Whites attending magnet schools is usually not sufficient for true desegregation. Upgrading all Black schools may provide a solution. (VM)

Describes the characteristics of three magnet elementary schools which have successfully attracted nonminority students to locations in minority neighborhoods. (Author/MK)

In 1972 a segregation suit was filed against the North St. Louis Board of Education. The resulting desegregation order led to a coalition of Black parents and White parents whose goal was to bring about educational change and maintain stable neighborhoods. The resulting Settlement Plan has been both hailed and attacked. (VM)

Using a national study of urban school districts with arts magnet schools, examines how arts education can affect the character and quality of an entire school and help improve student learning. Data from interviews, observations, and documents indicate that the arts magnet schools have succeeded in raising student achievement, attendance, and…

The results and prospects of the magnet school component of desegregation efforts in St. Louis are presented. Demand for magnet seats is outstripping the supply, and thus, the pace of desegregation is limited. But these schools offer an improved educational program and provide more educational choices for families. (VM)

As we revisit the victory of Brown, we know that the work of countless unsung warriors has taken us to a new level in the battle to acquire educational equality for African American children. In an effort to honor those people whose work have brought us this far, we visited with one expert witness and intellectual architect on desegregation to…

Notes that magnet schools were established to promote racial diversity, improve scholastic standards, and provide a range of programs to satisfy individual talents and interests. Suggests the need for a better understanding of new policies on race and magnet schools; the social and political context of choice; and the consequences of reform…

Parental choice of schools results in racial isolation or effective integration, depending on how choice is used and regulated. The role of choice in desegregation plans is compared. The Buffalo plan is hailed as most successful in that it desegregated the schools, distributed costs and benefits fairly, and strengthened education. (VM)