Using data from a multi-year study of eleven low-performing high schools, Cooper and Davis examine the academic aspirations and motivations of urban African American high school students in California. Situating their discussion within the context of neoliberalism and its manifestation in urban school reform and community cohesion, the authors…

Youth's free time is an opportunity for profound development of skills, attitudes and behaviors. Research on this topic has focused on middle class or White communities. The current study, conducted with an urban, low-income sample of 138 African American adolescents, examined associations between parental monitoring, support of autonomy and…

The social and educational life risks associated with being a Black male in the United States are not novel concerns. However, researchers, policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders have yet to consistently identify programs and interventions that can mediate the inequities that confront young Black men. Some researchers have indicated that…

Research has suggested that low socioeconomic status is a major factor in diminishing academic achievement of African American urban youth; however, there are other factors influencing students' achievement. To examine the other factors that contribute to academic achievement, this study investigated a sample of 60 low-resource middle school…

To determine grandparents' interest in grandparenting classes, 427 grandparents in the Washington, D.C. area completed an inventory of strengths and needs. Statistical comparisons reveal 10 significant differences between grandparents who are interested in grandparenting classes and those who are not. (SLD)

Studied the views of parents and educators about the causes and treatments of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through 45 hours of interviews with 25 participants at 4 urban schools. Results show that parents and educators have a socially constructed view of ADHD and are less likely to use stimulant medicine for the treatment of…

Reviews research and thinking on the causes of the disproportionate involvement of black male youths in interpersonal violence and violent activities, and examines societal and community responses to this problem. Programs aimed at preventing or reducing black male youth violence are critiqued. (SLD)

Evaluates the achievement, intelligence, and personality characteristics of students in the Street Academy, whose basic goal is to provide educational and education related services to school drop-outs, to increase their employment potential. (Author/AM)

Explores causes for the disproportionate representation of African American students in mild mental retardation and serious emotional disturbances special education categories. Provides recommendations to promote positive academic and social behavior for African American students that may prevent the students' need for specialized education…

In a study comparing the acquisition of information and the understanding of significant concepts by 5th grade children who studied science from two different approaches, the results lent support to the belief that science programs which allow students to discover solutions for themselves are more effective than a content-oriented approach. (EH)

Topics discussed are: what the city is, what a good urban school is not, and criteria of good urban schools. Approaches that maximize and utilize the city as a center for learning are given through an examination of five models of urban schools. (Author/AM)

Conducted an 18-month intervention for African American inner city elementary school students in a gifted classroom. The intervention, supported by university-based coaches, involved positively phrased classroom behavioral expectations, social skills training, structural/systematic instruction, and preplanned positive and negative consequences for…

Discusses whether white male teachers can be positive role models for at-risk black male youth and concludes that they can if they are men of integrity who are willing to take on the risks associated with being a dedicated teacher. (SLD)

Critiques the ways problems confronting black males are framed and acted on, focusing on the role of race and gender in the development of interventions. Drawing on research at an urban California high school, the article presents recommendations for programs aimed at the needs of black males that avoid marginalizing those targeted. (SLD)

Testifying on housing patterns in St. Louis (Missouri), this expert indicates that St. Louis has been, and continues to be, a highly racially segregated metropolitan area, where the housing effects of past discrimination have not disappeared. Schools remain an important factor in the voluntary choice of residential area. (SLD)