In recent decades, changes to the education policy landscape have made local public engagement more difficult. Among these changes are increased centralization of policy making, the rise of school choice, and mayoral and state takeovers of urban school districts. Philadelphia is at the vanguard of these changes. We discuss how community-based…

Increased school choice is leading to enrollment patterns that do not reflect attendance in the neighborhood school. The impact of this increased mobility on scholastic achievement is still undecided, in part because of the difficulty in untangling compositional and contextual effects on educational outcomes. This article uses data from the Los…

Uses an economic model of the provision of educational services to evaluate the efficiency of an urban educational system. Concludes that a voucher system would not promote efficiency and would increase racial and social segregation, but minischools and competitive contracting-out might aid the promotion of common social values. (FMW)

Examination of two types of school choice programs in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) reveals that the exercise of choice is a function of the type and design of the choice program. Comparison of the voucher private school and interdistrict public school choice programs (Chapter 220) shows that both are providing additional educational opportunities. (SLD)

Explores issues related to state support for cultural identity schools, schools with educational practices and aims designed to reinforce a particular cultural identity. Drawing a distinction between "strong" and "moderate" cultural identity schools, the article considers contextual factors a liberal state may consider in the legitimate support of…