This monograph examines use of standardized tests in higher education, particularly the Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT), as an issue of social justice and the public interest and in the context of national concerns over access, equity, and demands for accountability. The paper notes public interest in access and equity beginning with 1930s…

In this anthology, Chicana voices of the past and present illuminate the experiences of Mexican American women as they strive to integrate wage work, family life, and community engagement. Sections cover confrontations with the state through community action, court litigation, and union organizing; negotiating work, marriage, and children; stories…

A study examined access and equity in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia for youth from different social and educational backgrounds using data from a program of national longitudinal surveys. Secondary VET participation was low; youth from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to enroll; and students were more likely…

This paper examines the historical perspective of women in higher education, the problems facing women moving into leadership roles, the impact of Title IX on women, and finally the implications of these factors on women's ability to advance in higher education. The paper begins by examining the effect of affirmative action on women's progress,…

Argues against the Supreme Court's overturning of lower court decisions in support of a deaf child's right to a classroom interpreter. Reproaches the majority opinion for ignoring "a clear legislative mandate" from the federal government to provide handicapped children with educational opportunities equal to those provided nonhandicapped…

Presents a comprehensive examination of the development of postindependent Malaysia's education policies. Compulsory education combined with sustained economic growth has produced a literate and upwardly mobile Malay population. Preferential policies for the Malays, however, have resulted in increased stratification and inequality among the…

Maintains that educational reformers need to examine the past to understand why middle schools have not succeeded with Mexican Americans, and argues that current school reform does not depart radically from early 20th-century logic and practice. Presents current research and policy in a historical perspective. Describes Project Theme, a…

Criticizes Charles Murray's "The Bell Curve" and attempts a more cogent analysis of the respective roles of blacks and the U.S. political economy. Utilizes a sociology of knowledge framework to discuss the evolving nature of blacks in the nation's workforce. Briefly discusses eugenics and the history of racist social theories. (MJP)

Argues that nonmainstream (nonwhite and nonmiddle class) students do not perform as well in school as do mainstream students because they are not equitably served by the educational system. Equity issues in the literacy education of minorities are explored, examining student characteristics, sociocultural factors, language issues, and…

Early efforts at multicultural education have largely been compensatory attempts to address inequities in cultural representation. What is needed is a rewriting of the entire master script of curriculum to eliminate implicit racism, classism, and sexism. Examples from U.S. history illustrate the scope of revision needed in education. (SLD)

This ethnography of eight lower-track classrooms in two schools gives insight into the operation of the tracking system, although it implicitly accepts tracking and does not face the injustice children experience as a result of lower-track placement. Broader structural reasons underlying the tracking system are not examined. (SLD)

Hamovitch's review misinterprets key aspects of the book and of cultural and curricular analyses in general. The book links the curricular dilemma in balancing individualized and standardized knowledge to the wider culture. It is not a defense of tracking, but rather a curricular and cultural examination. (SLD)

Reviews research on ability grouping, focusing on policies and practices that result in placing students in groups that are more or less homogeneous with respect to academic performance. It is concluded that ability grouping is ineffective at best and harmful to many students. It inhibits development of interracial respect. (SLD)

Presents an in-depth portrait of the British government's educational policy in the Bechuanaland protectorate. The government systematized the primary school syllabus, regularized payment and training of teachers, and established cattle post schools. However, blatant discrimination favored support of European schools over African and little…

This book presents a series of autobiographical profiles that demonstrate how educational organizations often marginalize and silence different groups. The book suggests that the development and critical analysis of personal histories of those who have been silenced and denied access in schools and in society represent ways of attaching meaning,…