Compares areas and levels of political conflict in racially isolated school districts by surveying six superintendents from racially isolated African-American schools and six superintendents from racially isolated white schools. Similar issues arise at every conflict level with small variations among issues between African-American and white…

Considers the role of social-science research in school desegregation efforts as a background to this collection of written reports, depositions, and testimony in the March 1996 hearings about whether the St. Louis (Missouri) school district had achieved unitary status, having done all it could to eliminate the wrongs of a racially dual school…

Discusses the sociology of education, including race relations and school segregation and desegregation, and critiques the report of D. J. Armor. The adverse effects of school segregation, and the beneficial effects, including economic consequences, of desegregation are outlined. (SLD)

Describes the Baltimore (Maryland) School-Family-Community Partnership Program and the ways in which it provides urban school youth with greater support for avoiding maladaptive behaviors, supplies them with safe havens after school, and ensures that they travel to and from school without harm. Three schools that have successfully implemented this…

Investigates why African-American parents with children attending urban and suburban Catholic and other private schools prefer private to public schools, focusing on 409 respondents' views toward public schools. Their responses on a 50-item self-report questionnaire show that African-American parents think lack of discipline is a major public…

Qualitative data about the Baltimore (Maryland) Educational Scholarship Trust, a program to place disadvantaged and talented African-American youth in private schools were analyzed. The study reveals that peer networks of African-American students in predominantly White elite independent schools support these students' academic success, allow them…

Investigated what enables some urban schools serving low-income, minority students to succeed while most do not. Surveys of 62 schools nationwide indicated that though the successful schools differed greatly, they had one commonality: all stakeholders shared a common vision and went beyond ordinary expectations to ensure student success. (SM)

To help relieve the shortage of African-American teachers, several school systems have initiated teacher education magnet programs for high school students. The Teaching Professions Program of Coolidge High School (Washington, DC) targets career interest in teaching at an early age and exemplifies program advantages and weaknesses. (SLD)

Critically examines the claims of the Effective Schools Movement, especially those that pertain to the issue of educational leadership. Offers a critique of the traditional school leadership paradigm, suggesting alternative ways to consider both leadership and the Effective Schools Movement through the perspective of critical educational theory.…

Reviews effective schools research in relation to Catholic schooling for African-American youth, and discusses major issues affecting the survival of urban Catholic schools. Those who benefit from Catholic schooling must plan ahead if these schools are to continue. Parent participation in political and fundraising activities is essential. (SLD)

Examines family achievement orientation (parental beliefs regarding education) perceived by 73 fifth-grade and 75 sixth-grade African-American students (59 males and 89 females) in an urban school district. Studies how these perceptions affect students' achievement orientation. Family demographic variables contribute little to achievement…

The witness argues that the state of Missouri has discriminated against black children in St. Louis, and that losing the desegregation funding given through the state would have detrimental effects on the quality of education in the city. Calculations are offered in support of this argument. (SLD)

Reports on 1,000 African American and 260 Latino third-graders' perceptions of school climate. Findings show African American children viewed teacher-child relations as the most important dimension of school climate. Latino children stressed teacher fairness, caring, and praise for effort as well as the importance of moral order. Both groups…

Explores characteristics of contemporary African-American independent neighborhood schools. These urban schools continue a nearly 200-year-old tradition of providing learning environments in which children can succeed. They offer a range of options from which parents can choose and can serve as a blueprint for school choice. (SLD)

Describes a program initiated in a Baltimore (Maryland) elementary school intended to test the limits of the principle that all children can learn. Presents results indicating that the program had positive effects on the language skills of preschoolers and kindergartners and on the reading skills of students in grades one through three. (MW)