Examines the importance of the notion of community in a remedial writing class at an urban university. Though labeled a "community of writers," the group did not write, and students were considered failed writers. Their story illustrates the high value placed on the notion of community in school, its vulnerable nature, and the…

Discusses whether schools become more responsive to parents and more equitable when "chosen" by the clients they serve. Reveals that even where schools are outwardly characterized by values cohesion, shared goals, and voluntary affiliation, interaction between a school and its environment is likely to be a process of ongoing negotiations…

Examines links between community development and educational initiatives in improving the quality of life in America's most disadvantaged communities. Reviews community development and the education-restructuring movement, defines community development, discusses two theories undergirding the movement toward increased collaboration between…

Examined staff decision making at a restructuring urban middle school, noting how some of the decisions were made. The decision making process included balancing the relative needs of individual students and the whole class; managing consensus, dissent, voice, and democracy; and recognizing leadership, authority, and accountability. Collective…

Describes a joint attempt by the Federal government, a private foundation, local social service agencies, and a local school district to revitalize an urban high school and its neighboring community in St. Louis through a system for disseminating information about educational and job opportunities for students and community residents. (EF)

Discusses cultural transmission and discontinuity, noting implications of culturally based assumptions and attitudes and their potential influence in schools. Interviews with seventh and eighth graders with various levels of school success or failure provided insights about student learning and adaptation strategies. Adjustments in culturally…

Explores aspects of professional development within the Accelerated Schools model and suggests ways to realize teacher's potential for strengthening the mediational skills that are critical to quality education. Additionally, examines examples of the impact on teacher performance and of training that promotes research and inquiry. (GR)

Describes one urban school district's efforts to combat sociocultural tensions by creating a systemwide multicultural education program, focusing on efforts to create a partnership between the school and the community and providing suggestions to urban educators interested in such an endeavor. Stresses the importance of recognizing the…

Discusses African American othermothering in the role of providing the psychoeducational needs of the urban child. Presents two biographical portraits that examine othermothering by a elementary-school principal and community othermothering by a fifth-grade elementary-school teacher with 25 years of experience in the urban classroom. (GR)

Describes strategies used in a successful program to reduce dropout, failure, and suspension rates among Black and other minority group students in an urban high school. (ST)

Attempts to create a safe environment at many inner city high schools tend to separate students, who are largely black, working class, and poor, into criminal and noncriminal categories, creating a labeling system that denies complex individuality. Demonstrates how teens reaffirmed and subverted harmless/dangerous labels by disguising themselves…

Explores potential changes in the power relationships among teachers and principals. Describes and analyzes the following models of teacher decision-making: (1) Instructional Leadership Teams; (2) Principals' Advisory Councils; (3) School Improvement Teams; and (4) Lead Teacher Committees. (FMW)

The approach of the School without Walls illustrates how collaborative curriculum can empower students and can address the problem that our schools do little to change power relations between students of elite families and those of minorities and low socioeconomic status. Data from a study of the school's student outcomes and a national study of…

Describes a case study focusing on the first year of a three-year change initiative in which holistic curriculum was implemented in a kindergarten through grade-eight school (Simcoe Street School) in Ontario (Canada). Documents the success of the implementation and its continued use as part of school philosophy. (SLD)

Studies the complex layers making up a school culture and their effect on the routine organizational decision in handling truancy. Findings suggest school cultures, although unified at the organizational level, are inconsistent at the subcultural or individual level. Members can exercise greater flexibility within the organization but also can…