The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. Breaking the inter-generational transmission of poverty requires far-reaching actions in the education sector. Widespread poverty affects both students' performance and their availability to attend…

The Council of the Great City Schools has prepared this fifth edition of "Beating the Odds" ("Beating the Odds V)" to give the nation another look at how inner-city schools are performing on the academic goals and standards set by the states for our children. This analysis examines student achievement in math and reading through spring 2004. It…

This book attempts to serve as a compendium and a chronology of secondary education in the United States, taking a broad rather than a narrow approach and touching on a great many topics and issues. Chapters 1 and 2 present a history of secondary schools and a discussion of adolescence. Chapter 3 discusses curriculum in secondary schools,…

The Early Childhood Initiative (ECI), supported by the Fund for New York City Public Education, operates in four New York City schools, reinventing the early childhood classroom by combining special education and general education team teaching and a heterogeneous mix of students with developmentally appropriate instruction, authentic assessment,…

This collection of papers examines prior and current research and policy on grade repetition and social promotion. Papers include: "Where Is Lake Wobegon, Anyway? The Controversy Surrounding Social Promotion" (Richard Rothstein); "Student Retention: Why Is There a Gap between the Majority of Research Findings and School…

This report is a sequel to the Council of Great City Schools' 2004 report "Restoring Excellence to the DC Public Schools" that prompted the district school system to develop a new strategic plan, adopt strong academic standards, recruit new talent and accelerate professional development, and generally overhaul both buildings and…

How educational leaders can be prepared to carry out their responsibilities in an effective and sensitive fashion is explored in the context of an urban, diverse school environment by describing the Assistant Principal Leadership Academy of the Ysleta Independent School District, El Paso (Texas). The Academy is a unique professional development…

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe the revision of an experimental preservice teacher education program at Fordham University (New York) and to report the level of interns' perceived self-efficacy at the end of the summer instructional training laboratory. The method for revising the design of the Internship Fellowship Program using…

This study examined what low income parents perceived about their involvement in their children's education and what teachers needed to know about teaching in urban schools. The study also investigated whether, given explicit instruction and practice, prospective teachers would positively change their perceptions about interacting with low income…

This book examines how teachers and administrators can prepare themselves to create positive relationships and productive partnerships with families and communities. There are two main parts with seven chapters. The chapters include readings by outside authors. Part 1, "Understanding School, Family, and Community Partnerships," includes: (1)…

This paper describes a pilot mentoring/tutoring program which paired undergraduate and graduate students with homeless, at-risk, urban elementary students. The project addressed students' poor school performance and disparities in access to technology for minority and disadvantaged students. It purchased computer software and established a…

This report presents data on high school performance indicators for the 1999-00 school year in Bronx, New York. Data are provided on: background; students (numbers and ethnicity); state accountability indicators in English and language arts (full cohort and seniors in the cohort); state accountability indicators in mathematics (full cohort);…

This report presents data on high school performance indicators for the 1999-00 school year in Brooklyn, New York. Data are provided on: background; students (numbers and ethnicity); state accountability indicators in English and language arts (full cohort and seniors in the cohort); state accountability indicators in mathematics (full cohort);…

This report presents data on high school performance indicators for the 1999-00 school year in Manhattan, New York. Data are provided on: background; students (numbers and ethnicity); state accountability indicators in English and language arts (full cohort and seniors in the cohort); state accountability indicators in mathematics (full cohort);…

This report presents data on high school performance indicators for the 1999-00 school year in Queens, New York. Data are provided on: background; students (numbers and ethnicity); state accountability indicators in English and language arts (full cohort and seniors in the cohort); state accountability indicators in mathematics (full cohort);…