This volume offers the analysis and suggestions for reform of leading educational experts on the topic of education in the inner cities. An introduction provides an overview of the problems of American education and a proposed solution: educational choice. The 12 chapters are as follows: (1) "The Public School Monopoly: America's Berlin…

This study examines the question of students as context for what happens in school and the ways in which educators' subjective interpretations of the realities students bring with them to school influence every aspect of the school environment. The focus is on contemporary, nontraditional students whose academic backgrounds, families, values, or…

This report presents the results of a study conducted by the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to review the university's policies towards those groups within Canadian society which have low participation rates in post-secondary education. Following the introduction, the section, "Accessibility and the University of Winnipeg,"…

The primary goal of the American Federation of Teachers' (AFT) Redesigning Schools to Raise Achievement (RSRA) project is to build capacity at the state, district, school, and classroom levels to improve student achievement to meet the goals of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act. This checklist highlights some of the opportunities and support…

This bulletin on the use of the schoolhouse as a polling place is divided into two sections. Part I, Use of Schoolhouse for Political Purposes, explains why this practice is beneficial to the schools (allows youth to witness and understand the civic process) and to the public (it is economical, worthy, appropriate, convenient, permanent,…

Describes findings from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 about state- and district-level requirements and policies, standards and guidelines, evaluation, collaboration, and staffing and professional preparation; also addressing school-level requirements and policies, standards and guidelines, student assessment, collaboration,…

The federal requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have placed a new focus on increasing graduation rates and reducing dropout rates. While the dropout problem has generated research and new programs over the last 30 years, the dropout rate has remained relatively unchanged. Students drop out of school for many reasons, and the…

This report analyzes how charter schools handle the education of students with disabilities, with a focus on charter schools in Colorado. It first defines charter schools and notes ambiguities in the legal responsibilities of charter schools and/or their host school districts regarding students with disabilities. The Colorado information is based…

This publication describes the Success for All elementary school reading program and its outcomes as well as the policy implications of this program's demonstration that reading failure can be prevented. An opening section describes the program itself, which involves a combination of high quality teaching, engaging parents in supporting students'…

This report examines political conflict in decision making in three public schools, and describes how the Teacher Participation Project (TPP), which was implemented in two of the schools, sought to minimize such conflict by institutionalizing local governance structures for teachers. The report consists of two parts. Part I investigates various…

This paper examines current practice for youth at risk of not successfully making the transition to adulthood in six urban secondary schools. It describes the major elements of at-risk policies and programs and raises concerns about the strategies currently in place at the sites. The following strategies are discussed: (1) curriculum and…

Dropout prevention is emerging as the most important new issue in education. Broad demographic trends predict a continuing growth in the population of at-risk youth, those most likely to drop out of school. The overall goal of any dropout prevention activity is to reduce the number of at-risk students. This issue is devoted to what research and…

A study investigated academic policy development at 80 research universities concerning the academic labor market, academic reward structure, faculty seniority and retirement, and institutional research and planning. Results confirmed the need for more flexible academic personnel policies in support of senior faculty development and renewal and…

This case is about the clash between traditional community values and multicultural values in the context of same-sex couples at a high school prom. Within this context, a new principal must deal with competing personal and professional values, as well as the competing divergent views of district level administrators, school board members,…

Systematic review of dormitory programs at residential schools for the deaf can alleviate existing problems and prevent new ones. Allegations of sexual misconduct and child abuse, in particular, have raised serious concerns about the adequacy of staff training and experience and the maintenance of appropriate student-staff ratios to provide…