Minnesota is leading the school choice movement, but Governor Perpich's promotional tours may be somewhat premature. This article examines the open enrollment concept and its consequences, including charges of elitism and application of private enterprise principles to education. Open enrollment contradicts the legislature's duty to establish a…

Examines the long and conflicted history of the writing center. Argues that it is paradoxically the very marginality of the writing center that offers its workers the chance to serve not simply in a regulatory or supplemental fashion, but also to begin to form alternative and perhaps even liberatory modes of teaching. (SR)

Discusses basic writing pioneer Mina Shaughnessy, who advocated for a humanistic approach to writing instruction for disadvantaged students, within the context of the City University of New York's policy of open admissions. (EV)

African Americans were largely absent from a college that was emblematic of democratic opportunity. Established as the Free Academy in 1847, City College had given thousands of poor and working-class students and recent immigrants the chance for a college education they couldn't otherwise afford. But even during the 1960s, the student body of City…

This article pertains to program development necessitated by the admission into college of those students who do not meet regular entry requirements. The author briefly describes a number of programs developed by colleges to provide remedial work, reduced academic loads, study skills instruction, and counseling for "high-risk" students.…

Minnesota has several types of school choice options available to its 750,000 students: open enrollment, second-chance programs, postsecondary enrollment options, and charter schools. Survey data show that the families of special-needs students are increasingly using the open-enrollment option and are satisfied with their choices. Students with…

Open enrollment is a subject of policy debate among educators and policy makers both at the national and state levels. Open enrollment is defined as the notion of enabling parents and students to choose among school sites and districts, without regard to place of residence. Proponents claim that open enrollment will enhance racial integration,…

Community colleges have substantially different testing needs from four-year colleges. Since almost all community colleges are open-door institutions, tests are used less for admissions purposes than for placement, guidance, and awarding of credit. (Author)

Notes difficulties encountered teaching history in an open university. Describes methodology used in a twentieth-century history course, combining current events with the course content. Using a major continuing news story as the basis for a semester project, students are asked to consider multiple scenarios and to predict outcomes of current…

Responding to Joe Nathan's praise of Minnesota's school choice programs in the same "Kappan" issue, this article cites teacher opinion poll deficiencies; mistaken correlations involving open enrollment, rural district cooperation, and enabling state legislation; and insufficient program implementation and evaluation data. The hidden…

Discusses prospects for City University of New York in light of its recent decision to end both open admissions and remedial programs. Quotes the school's chancellor who wants to restore the school's earlier reputation for high quality general education, professional schools, and Ph.D. programs. Also notes administrative and funding concerns. (DB)

This chapter explores the evolution of open admissions and developmental education at the City University of New York, and discusses how CUNY and, in particular, Bronx Community College have addressed the challenges presented by underprepared college freshmen.

When superintendent Bill Harbron of the Northern Ozaukee School District in Fredonia, Wisconsin decided it was time to offer more instructional alternatives to students and parents, an e-learning program seemed like the perfect fit. After researching and considering several options, he invited e-learning content provider K12 to present its program…

The City University of New York (CUNY) instituted an open admissions policy in 1970 which provides all New York City high school graduates with an opportunity to attend college. Given the wide academic range of students now attending CUNY, compensatory models are being developed and evaluated in order to effectively deal with skill deficiencies.…

This program, included in "Effective Reading Programs...," serves 450 students at Otero Junior College (La Junta, Colorado). One of the goals of the program, begun in 1969, is to permit the junior college to retain or even slightly increase its academic standards while, at the same time, admitting all students irrespective of their…