Finalists for the Broad Prize for Urban Education demonstrate that identifying strategies that fit the local context is essential in creating success for students. Long Beach Unified School District in California and Broward County Public Schools in Florida demonstrate how districts can use different strategies to achieve the same goals.

A former ghetto teacher recounts a meeting he had with a former student who was committed to a state psychiatric hospital. (IRT)

A former superintendent lists the contradictions, conflicts, and calamities that a large-city superintendent must contend with. (Author/IRT)

Superintendent of Trenton (New Jersey) Public Schools discusses process and challenges of implementing whole-school reform models in his district and the educational benefits derived there from. Argues that results thus far support New Jersey's approach to whole-school reform in urban districts. (PKP)

After discussing the current state of multicultural programs, the author presents six strategies for improving them. The strategies deal with school district commitment, enrichment and mainstreaming, comprehensive planning, diversity in hiring, differentiated staff development, and formative evaluation. (Author/IRT)

Most "systemic" reforms try to align different public education segments via mandated goals, tests, curriculum frameworks, and teacher certification methods but fail to eliminate political, contractual constraints that create fragmented, unresponsive schools. Contracting, alternative form of public education governance building on…

As a result of efforts to reform New Jersey's method of financing education, education has become enmeshed in state-level politics while, critics assert, little is being done to improve urban education. (Author/IRT)

The social and economic problems that are affecting New York City are not local problems. Adequate responses to the problems will require state and federal help. (IRT)

Criticizes both the central administration and the teacher union approaches to education reform in New York City and offers an alternative model that places the teacher in control and emphasizes the matching of teaching methods with the cognitive styles of students. (IRT)

Reports on what researchers discovered in their study of five urban school districts that were labeled "innovative." Provides a conceptual framework that takes into account five factors that seemed critical to a district's success or failure in implementing change. (Author/IRT)

Examination of data from 30 large urban school districts and site visits to several of these cities reveal many successful programs and a deepening concern for needs not well-served by traditional schooling. Some of these needs and programs are presented. (Author/IRT)

Reexamines Coleman's research findings that support the theory of white flight. (IRT)

Reports on a study of 50 urban and 50 rural Indiana districts covering school district characteristics, liability actions against either the school district or professional personnel, liability insurance coverage, employment of legal counsel and fees paid, and opinions of respondents regarding the potential impact of educational malpractice…

Argues that identity-sensitive education, focused on improving students' attitudes and beliefs about their own learning, is essential for academic success. Describes three models of identity-sensitive education: charismatic teacher, "together we'll make it," and "intellectual hothouse." Identifies common characteristics of…