Argues against the Bush administration's school choice proposal from historical and sociocultural perspectives. The Bush approach to education reform espouses educational excellence without addressing needs of children who are at risk of school failure. Equity for minority groups has never occurred as a by-product of a focus on excellence. (SLD)

Explores issues faced by designers of school choice systems as numbers and types of choice arrangements proliferate and become more complex. Defines elements of a successful system of choice. The system developed will depend on the intentions, assumptions, and commitments present in the initial design. (SLD)

Considers issues of school choice and school autonomy. Parents, society as a whole, and the educator team of each school should have a lead role in answering the basic questions about schooling. Examples from schools in other countries illustrate some new approaches to school autonomy. (SLD)

The study analyzes the factors that lead elementary school students (grades 6-8) to general or vocational high schools. The effects of gender, SES, academic achievement, living in a rural/urban area as well as the effects of parental involvement on school choice (N=866) used as independent variables in Canakkale, Turkey. There are clear…

In 1987, parents and teachers from diverse neighborhoods of a local school district in New York (New York) founded the Bronx New School, a small public elementary school of choice that was meant to be learner-centered, with high standards for all. The school was organized into heterogeneous, multi-age classes and structured to encourage…

A preliminary evaluation and report were conducted of the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public Schools' (MPS) Parental Choice Program (PCP) following its first year of operation. The state legislated program provides an opportunity for students meeting specific criteria to attend private, non-sectarian schools in Milwaukee. A payment from public funds…

Written under the joint auspices of the Educational Excellence Network of Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) and the National Conference of State Legislatures, this book contains nine chapters, by leading educators, divided into five sections that explore the major issues in education reform. Following a foreword by John Martin and an introduction…

This catalog, an outcome of the Project To Access Choice in Education (PACE), lists examples of public schools throughout the nation offering choices in education. "Schools of Choice" are defined as those offering one or more of the following three dynamics: (1) open enrollment, the freedom for families to choose the elementary or secondary…

In this study, the degree of parent involvement--as measured by the amount of their participation in school-related activities, communication with teachers, and school decision-making--is examined for 1,070 parents whose at-risk children attend five innercity Catholic high schools. The variables of parents' education, religion, marital status, and…

This book is a series of questions that parents can use in gathering information about the education quality of a particular school. These questions could be asked of school officials at the school being considered. The contents of this guide are divided into sections by topic: (1) school district philosophy/goals/objectives; (2) accreditation;…

This policy paper includes four perspectives on educational quality presented at the 1983 annual meeting of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Gwen Morgan considers the role of government, raising questions about what regulatory agencies should do, can do, and cannot do in the light of public attitudes. Ways that…

The expectations of parents of students with disabilities who transferred schools through an open enrollment option were examined in this qualitative study. In-depth interviews were conducted with parents of 18 children and adolescents who transferred their child through Minnesota's open enrollment law. Interviews addressed: the student's history…

This article examines the antecedents and consequences of residential choice and school transfers within one of the eight largest urban school districts in Texas. This study is based on survey data from a representative sample of parents of K-12 students enrolled in this district. In addition to demographic characteristics of the family, the…

Although the Minnesota Business Partnership is generally pleased with the success of its school choice initiatives, it realized that more must be done to improve educational quality. Concentrating on learning readiness, this report discusses the role of education in a healthy society, describes the condition of education in Minnesota, and offers…

An analysis of school choice programs is presented. The review is organized around the following topics: common characteristics of programs, variations, advantages and disadvantages, the relationship between choice and student achievement, and state role. A conclusion is that policy decisions will have to be based on factors other than effects of…