Highlights how one Texas school district moved from being a district in which token representations of minority achievement were considered evidence of districtwide success to being a district where success for all children is the operating paradigm. Guided by vision, culture, and district support, teachers have raised student achievement levels…

An examination of issues and problems associated with urban secondary school quality indicates that educational improvement and expansion of educational opportunities in these schools require the presence of knowledgeable, dedicated, and effective administrators and teachers; community support; and educational programs that are responsive to human…

Critiques a collection of articles on accountability, testing, and academics in schools with minority group and low-income students, examining their polar positions and explaining that polar positions are often equally biased. Expresses concerns about the TAAS, discussing what changes are needed in the educational system and the TAAS in order for…

Discusses some new organizational forms and provides a taxonomy of these emergent forms in urban public education. Argues that the old urban school system's legitimacy has largely collapsed. Examines three institutional change features considered essential for reorganizing urban schools: a shifting balance among governance values; a stronger…

A shift in federal policy is causing Americans to examine the basic values and aspirations of public education, and the "schools of choice" debate must address the following significant issues: (1) effectiveness; (2) equity; (3) governance and accountability; (4) resource allocation; (5) mission; (6) sociological factors; (7) psychological…

Discusses the effect of deficit thinking on the academic achievement of minority and low income students. Highlights five ways that high-stakes accountability helped displace deficit thinking of school superintendents in Texas school districts. Data come from a multiyear study that demonstrated sustained, substantially improved academic…

Suggests that the most useful discussion of accountability, testing, and educational equity should occur at the conceptual level rather than the level of conflicting individual studies. Argues that statistical debates avoid larger foundational questions about the goals of schooling in our society and emphasizes the need for research on effective…

Uses the home-education policy arena as a lens through which to view changing beliefs and practices about student assessment. The home-education policies of 10 states illustrate issues relating to accountability in public and private schools and the use of standardized tests. (SLD)

Uses critical race theory to critique three articles on accountability, testing, and academics in schools with minority group and low-income students, raising questions about the viability of interest convergence theory in arguing that accountability promotes equity and pointing out that gender issues remain unanswered in debates focused on race…

Explores the principal's role in school reform. Attaching express legitimate power to the principal and ensuring that its effective and collaborative use is the most immediate route to reform. An autonomous, accountable, and achieving principal can function in a school reform setting like that of Chicago (Illinois). (SLD)

Describes a plan that identifies the extent of academic and related service needs of students. Using data on students from 50 elementary schools in Minneapolis (Minnesota), the authors show how their analytical technique helped identify schools with poor performance and what actions needed to be taken to improve them or to sustain efforts where…

Discusses the impact of accountability on educational quality at the state level, exploring various Texas student performance measures over the past decade that show improvements in school performance for minority and impoverished children. Discusses data from Texas Assessment of Academic Skills scores, National Assessment of Educational Progress…

The seven articles of this issue examine the implications of the proposed use of a variety of new assessments for students and parents, schools and school personnel, the educational system, and society in general. They clarify the dilemmas that challenge educational assessment and the relationship of assessment to educational reform. (SLD)