This document contains chapter 8 of the final report of the Project on Social Architecture in Education. Chapter 8 contains two case studies, set in a large urban district with an entrenched central office bureaucracy and a militant teachers' union. The pressures of a fiscal crisis surrounded both efforts. College High School was intended to serve…

This paper addresses problems in research on urban education and outlines several National Institute of Education (NIE) proposals for dealing with these problems. It is argued that research should not stray too far from the basic educational goals of inculcating literacy, that educational research must become more diverse and sophisticated in its…

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (EIP), A MULTIFACETED COMPENSATORY EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT PROJECT FOR DISADVANTAGED PUPILS IN SOUTHERN SCHOOLS. SUPPORTED BY THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS FOUNDATIONS, PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY EIP INCLUDE PROJECT OPPORTUNITY, AIMED AT…

This monograph examines James B. Conant's works on American education. Emphasis is placed on three major works--"The American High School Today: A First Report to Interested Citizens,""Education in the Junior High School Years," and "The Comprehensive High School: A Second Report to Interested Citizens." Attention is…

Describes New York City initiatives for parent participation in education, including the Parent Involvement Program (PIP), the Parent Orientation Program (POP), and the Parent Leadership Assistance Network (PLAN). These programs incorporate commitment to the family, broadened definitions of parent involvement, varied involvement strategies, and…

Dr. Ben Canada's unique blend of heartwarming personality and hardheaded management has been instrumental in turning around Portland (Oregon) Public Schools. As superintendent, Dr. Canada has raised the credibility of the district and gained community support as evidenced by the commitment of city council to pump $40 million into the school…

The Research for Better Schools Urban Education Project provides a different framework from current education-reform efforts for restructuring urban schools and improving educational quality. This volume organizes a set of invited papers according to the Urban Learner Framework themes of cultural diversity and learning, unrecognized abilities and…

This document addresses the difficulties of urban education, particularly relating to inner cities that contain immigrant and minority students, and argues that schools contribute to the problems of today's urban youth and that schools must do a better job of educating students. It recognizes that schools are burdened by the urban environment but…

This paper focuses on the status of science teaching and learning in 20 secondary schools in an urban community which caters to an extremely diverse multicultural student population and the research needed to improve science teaching and learning in such a setting. This research was conducted to provide pre-service teachers with an insight into…

This document examines the role that parents (especially blacks) can play in improving the quality of their children's education. The ideas are discussed from the viewpoint and experiences of a technical assistance specialist of the Documentation and Technical Assistance Project (DTA), who was primarily involved in encouraging parental…

This paper concerns the process of developing model urban education programs and is based on the experiences of the state funded Urban Education Pilot Project (UEPP) being carried out in one Cincinnati, Ohio, inner city public high school attendance area. First, key premises used by the UEPP are outlined. These include: (1) principals are the…

"Great High Schools" are described as the first phase of a master plan to renew the physical facilities of the Pittsburgh School System from elementary school through middle school and high school. Various design features, technological innovations, instructional functions, and organizational and operational characteristics of these…

Presents an analysis of various compensation and incentive options for staffing educational programs with high-quality teachers, particularly at racially isolated schools. Questions the efficacy of merit pay policies and suggests that non-pecuniary benefits such as improved working conditions and more opportunity for advancement are as important…

This paper describes one vision of how to improve urban education, highlighting the Newark, New Jersey, public schools. It discusses the importance of encouraging all students to "reach for the stars" in education and describes the government's role in perpetuating inequitable circumstances. It highlights the importance of emphasizing…

Central EXPRESS (Exceptional People Renewing Education for Students and Schools) is a collaborative partnership for systemic educational reform targeted to 14,000 students, over 700 teachers and other professionals, and 11 schools in one Miami, Florida, high school feeder district. It provides services, resources, and activities at multiple points…