Much evidence indicates that raising the overall achievement level of an urban school requires parent participation in the school--participation beyond the traditional fundraising activities. This study identified program characteristics and district and school conditions that affect the implementation of parent-involvement programs. The first…

The extent, nature, and sources of alienation among students and teachers in high school are being examined at two inner city comprehensive high schools in each of five large urban districts. Research methods include interviews with staff (over 300 individuals) and collection of statistical data. A conceptual framework for studying these issues is…

Preliminary lessons emerging from five case studies contained in a larger study on improving urban high schools are explored in this report. An eclectic approach was taken to describe the contextual influences in and around the school improvement programs. Potential variables were selected from previous research to frame the investigation and site…

This paper presents a model for turning research findings into prescriptions for practical action. The model contains the following five interactive elements: (1) clear, understandable research knowledge; (2) relevant knowledge, which is seen as meaningful to normal life and concerns; (3) images of actions which exemplify the knowledge; (4) a will…

This study investigated the behavioral differences between high and low achieving students in two Canadian inner city schools. One school consisted predominantly of first generation Portuguese, Greek, and Chinese children, while the other served a predominantly second or third generation population of English speaking Canadians. An academic…

An analysis of data collected from 30 urban districts indicates that there are encouraging developments in urban education which are exemplified by a number of successful programs. These include work-study programs, arts in education programs, programs which incorporate community resources, and alternative education programs. Five generalizations…

The Buffalo Public Schools have developed magnet schools to aid desegregation plans and to provide for different student needs and learning styles. The Academic Challenge Center is designed to meet concerns about declining reading and math scores. The Buffalo Traditional School emphasizes traditional learning styles and puts a high priority on…

Two NIE objectives are to increase educational opportunities by addressing issues of educational equity, and to improve educational practice. Educational equity involves reducing the predictive value of race, sex, and social class in determining educational achievement. There are three major problems in improving urban education: (1) lack of…

The positions expressed reflect several perspectives on the university-urban district cooperative leadership program carried out by Pennsylvania State University and the Philadelphia school district. The statements are made by students now holding positions as high school assistant principal, elementary principal, elementary assistant principal,…

This paper describes the use of research to shift a traditional teacher preparation program, that teaches all courses on the university campus, toward having a focus on "becoming a member of an urban education community," including teaching university courses at an urban elementary school and including community involvement in the…

An ethnographic study explored the social dynamics behind the discipline statistics provided by referrals. This paper describes the social context that creates the educational environment where social capital is generated and/or denied, starting with the application of detention as the initial step toward issuing referrals, considered a more…

Argues that Black education will not improve until Black citizens become actively involved in all phases of their children's education. Stresses the need for parent and community participation and teacher education. (FMW)

This paper is part of a larger project comparing civic capacity and urban education in 11 American cities. The paper is divided into four sections. The first section attempts to explain why civic capacity and public education in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), Boston (Massachusetts), and St. Louis (Missouri), evolved from different paths, although they…

Based principally on data collected for a broader 11-city study of civic capacity in urban education, this report provides an account of the durability of judicially supervised consent decrees in the school reform arena and explains why judicial intervention may be sought and sustained in the 1990s, often in the absence of evidence that schools…

Six schools in an urban school system with varying socioeconomic backgrounds were evaluated to determine what impact different instructional leadership styles have on student achievement. Since the principal is usually considered the instructional leader, the study focused on principal leadership styles, with principals categorized into three main…