In this article the authors describe the programmed and scripted nature of many mandated instructional and "management" programs designed to raise test scores of urban children in low-income communities. They detail the programs' dehumanizing effect on the ways teachers and students interact, and the resentment the programs instill in…

This article is intended to dispel the myth that Latinas and Latinos and other urban high school youths of color are not capable of performing at high academic levels. Much research shows that youths of color are underrepresented and underserved in gifted education programs. The authors describe the four success factors to which 10 working-class…

Martin Sanchez Jankowski conducted a 10-year study of gangs of varying ethnicity in three major cities, with a focus on New York City and Los Angeles (California). The center of his research has been in low-income areas, where gangs have been an institution for more than 150 years. Jankowski acquired experience by living with gangs from a variety…

Study investigated changes in urban Alberta high school student plans/aspirations between 1969 (12,951)/1982 (2,285 students). Analyzing boys and girls separately indicated more 1981 girls planned postsecondary education. More 1981 students planned postsecondary education, but schools placed fewer students in college preparation programs in 1981…

Examines the relative effectiveness of two different chemistry curricula. African American students enrolled in an inner-city high school who took ChemCom, a Science-Technology-Society-based science curriculum employing cooperative learning as an integral component, scored significantly higher gains on a standardized measure of chemistry…

This urban high school case study shows historical continuity with the processes used by teachers to stratify knowledge disseminated to Irish, Polish, and Black students. Although the goals and purposes of extracurricular activities have been standardized, there are intrascholastic differences in the types of knowledge that they transmit. (RLC)

Explores the role of parent involvement and bilingual education in improving the educational experience of language minority students, particularly in urban settings. Asks whether parent involvement is a feasible solution, and looks at the chance that bilingual education will decrease dropouts and empower students. (JB)

Identifies the need for educational reformers to address the psychological problems of low-income urban and rural minority students. It is argued that the educational reform movement must be much more proactive in using the existing knowledge base of counseling and psychological support services personnel. (SLD)

States must ensure that all citizens, regardless of race, have real opportunities to gain the education and skills needed to achieve the American Dream. If state policies, especially economic policies, fail to acknowledge the growing numbers of poor Black undereducated and unskilled urban youth, that dream of equal opportunity will continue to be…

Problems that beset urban education in general are analyzed, and solutions are discussed and evaluated by a policy working group of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. The most acute problem in American education involves the unmet needs of disadvantaged students, who are heavily concentrated in urban school…

Poverty, violence, illegal drugs, and despair dominate the lives of many inner-city children, most of whom are Black and Hispanic. To reverse the social and economic decline of poor neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas, the State of New York has embraced an agenda, outlined here, for rebuilding high-need inner-city communities. (Author/BJV)

Tested school-based intervention in the developmental domains of skills/knowledge, attitudes, orientations, and exploration/commitment for urban minority youth. Quantitative results indicated positive gains on multiple indices; qualitative assessment illustrated positive effects of intervention and the possible obstacles to intervention efficacy.…

George Mason University's (GMU) (Virginia) successful Early Identification Program includes alliances with three public school districts to foster early, consistent intervention, and to encourage and motivate at-risk minority students to complete a college preparatory curriculum and enroll in colleges. GMU guarantees admission to participants who…