This report on the governance of public education in Washington, D.C. describes issues and conflicts that have arisen since the 19th century among the agencies which have exercised various forms and degrees of authority and responsibility for education in the District: The Board of School Trustees or Board of Education; the central city…

California's sometimes controversial efforts to keep Hispanic students in school and interested in college education include tutoring programs, financial aid, curriculum development, partnerships between school districts and higher education institutions, Spanish-language and Hispanic-oriented recruitment and encouragement efforts, and transfer of…

Argues that the federal civil rights program contains flaws in preventing equal educational opportunity particularly for low-income victims of discrimination. Emphasizes the need for more government action, especially at the state level, to achieve equity goals. Analyzes current state educational policies. (SA)

Educational equality for migrant youth has not been realized in American society. By grade 10, 80-90% of migrant youth drop out of school. When migrants drop out, they are academically 1 to 2 years behind other students their age. They have limited English skills, poor self-concepts, few job skills, and no career plans. The National Association of…

The school desegregation movement grew out of a concern for educational equity, which has a basis in constitutional/judicial principles, psychological concerns (the belief that racial isolation is psychologically damaging to the disadvantaged), and black nationalism (manifested in a concern for developing students' self-esteem). Cultural…

Describes the Amigos Program at Maynard School, Cambridge, MA, a two-way bilingual education program. Success of the program and efforts at equal education result from teamwork between desegregation and bilingual education officers and the following elements: (1) site; (2) funding; (3) evaluation; (4) racial balance; and (5) parent support. (PS)

This booklet discusses the importance of all students being guaranteed a carefully crafted and appropriately balanced approach to reading instruction. Section 1, "Beginning Reading Instruction," discusses variation and inequity in reading instruction and reading skills nationwide. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has made it a priority to…

Louisiana reviewed its progress toward achieving sex equity in vocational education (VE) in 1995-1996. The review included the following: comparison of 1995-1996 and prior student enrollments in programs that are nontraditional for students' genders; identification of practices, barriers, and achievements of special groups in the area of sex…

Early interventions and educational expectations that promote access, quality education, and the right to career options are necessary parts of any dropout prevention program. This report suggests that preventing school failure and empowering students to succeed should be the goals of such programs. It discusses student underachievement and…

Reports on recent developments and problems in the diversification of tertiary education in seven Western European countries are presented by members of the Working Party on the Diversification of Tertiary Education. Policy analysis and evaluation and recommendations for future policy are also provided. As a policy, diversification refers to the…

Postwar transformation of U.S. cities gave new form to longstanding racial and economic educational inequities, intensifying barriers to achievement facing disadvantaged students. By concentrating disadvantaged students in inferior innercity schools, educational problems are intensified. Bureaucratic school systems do little to address new…

The Clinton administration has placed equal, accessible education of immigrants at the top of its agenda for 21st-century American schools. This paper examines the initiative, discussing criticism it has already drawn. For example, there are doubts as to whether providing more money for bilingual education without proper monitoring and evaluation…

Several issues related to the implementation of vocational education programs for Hispanic Americans are investigated in this paper, material for which came from a review of literature on the subject, government documents, and interviews with public officials. Issues explored include: (1) The history and current status of vocational education…

This paper evaluates whether both equality or equity and excellence can be achieved in the present Israeli junior high schools. While academic goals are high and are, at least to some extent, achieved, the goal of providing an equitable education for students of lower socio-economic backgrounds and different ethnic backgrounds is not achieved. In…

Shared cultural backgrounds and norms about how to use language can influence classroom interactions for minorities, including African Americans. Research finds serious problems when teachers' interactional styles differ from that of students' home communities. The differences can prevent full student participation and limit academic progress.…