Since the introduction of the Coleman Report (1966), the focus on closing the achievement gap has been a critical component of educational policy for political leaders and field research by educators. The economic crisis which California and the nation at large currently face creates a challenging situation in attempting to narrow the gap.…

Several discipline problems frequently found in inner city schools are described. Presents suggestions for dealing constructively with them based on organization and classroom structure. (JMF)

Urban academic excellence is usually reflection of culture of success, created within stable, supportive family that places highest value on love and education. Self-leadership can help urban youngsters avoid high-risk behavior, defer immediate gratification, enjoy solitude and reflection, and resist going along with the crowd. Urban…

This discussion presents ways in which disadvantaged secondary students in an inner-city school may be motivated to read. Some ways are (1) giving training in the teachings of reading to secondary teachers, (2) making the disadvantaged students aware that reading is a lifetime learning process and that all hope is not lost if basic reading skills…

The major objective of this project was to develop a new social studies curriculum for the inner city. Specific needs were to be addressed in developing the new social studies: the need to be an agent for developing the intellectual skills necessary for citizens to assimilate and process information so that they can better aid in determining…

The storefront school's value as change agent depends on its leaders attending to the key issues of ongoing funding, relationships with the public school system, cooperative arrangements with other alternative models, accountability, and power control. (JM)

A study of high school choice programs in four large cities (New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston) shows that meaningful school choice is beyond the reach of the most vulnerable innercity students. Educators considering such plans must recognize the dangers (like stacked admissions policies) raised for these youth. (MLH)

This monograph is the first in a series of reports related to the Successful Secondary Schools Study in three Canadian provinces, a study that will contribute to high student achievement outcomes for students of low socioeconomic status. This document provides a synopsis of the literature and research dealing with successful and effective schools,…

This issue includes the following Articles: (1) "Spellings Says Nation's Academic Progress Due to "New Equation." On Jan. 31, 2005, Margaret Spellings was sworn in as the eighth secretary of education. Across the nation, test scores in Reading and Math are rising, with disadvantaged and minority students leading the way. After long decades, the…

In the 1992 amendments to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, Congress established incentive grants for local delinquency prevention programs, know as the Community Prevention Grants Program. This report is the third annual report on this program, which provides the framework, tools, and funding for communities to help divert…

The educational processes for youth who participated in a county-run correctional facility for juvenile offenders were studied. The county's Leadership Academy, a 48-bed correctional treatment center where juveniles are placed when ordered into direct care, is designed to divert repeat male offenders from the state-run correctional system. The…

To understand why the general situation of young Hispanic Americans is critical it is necessary to consider some demographic characteristics of the Hispanic population and examine the need for reform in their educational experiences. The impact of some current initiatives in the Mid-Atlantic region are discussed, and some alternative reforms are…

In a disadvantaged school, a newspaper with an unbiased policy of focusing on the school's conditions, problems, activities, and other information relevant to the students' interest will help to build the students' sense of self-respect, pride, and participation in the school. Editorials can stress outstanding local achievements as well as honest…

This study examined contexts that influenced urban high school physical educators' conceptualizations of realistic student goals, noting how teachers changed curriculum content to handle student noncompliance. Field notes and interviews indicated that teachers substantially changed their programs over time, and many programs exhibited…

Outlines issues that socially and economically disadvantaged urban students may face (student jobs, family problems, home factors, feelings of inadequacy, and financial factors) that may contribute to their lack of preparation and interest in school. Offers some humanistic strategies for effectively managing urban secondary classrooms, and notes…