This collection of papers examines historical approaches and current research and practice related to the education of adolescents placed at risk of school failure as a result of social and economic conditions. After "Preface: Research, Policy and Practice in the Education of Poor and Minority Adolescents" (Mavis G. Sanders), there are 15 chapters in four parts. Part 1, "Reframing Students Placed at Risk: A Historical Look," includes: (1) "Students at Promise and Resilient: A Historical Look at Risk" (William Franklin); (2) "Historical Trends in Federal Education Policies that Target Students Placed at Risk" (Antoinette Mitchell); and (3) "Why Do So Many Urban Public School Students Demonstrate So Little Academic Achievement?" (Robert Balfanz). Part 2, "Factors Influencing Resiliency and School Failure," includes: (4) "Student-Teacher Relations and Academic Achievement in High School" (Mavis G. Sanders and Will J. Jordan); (5) "Talent Loss Among High-Achieving Poor Students" (Will J. Jordan and Stephen B. Plank); and (6) "Unpacking the Black Box of Tracking Decisions: Critical Tales of Families Navigating the Course Placement Process" (Susan S. Yonezawa). Part 3, "Focus on African-American Students," includes: (7) "Gender and Effects of School, Family, and Church Support on the Academic Achievement of African-American Urban Adolescents" (Mavis G. Sanders and Jerald R. Herting); (8) "African-American Teachers and the Roles They Play" (Antoinette Mitchell); (9) "African-American Student Success in Independent Schools: A Model of Family, School, and Peer Influences" (Robert Cooper and Amanda Datnow); and (10) "Creating a Climate for Diversity? The Institutional Response of Predominantly White Independent Schools to African-American Students" (Amanda Datnow and Robert Cooper). Part 4, "From Research To Practice," includes: (11) "Toward an Understanding of School Reconstitution as a Strategy To Educate Students Placed at Risk" (Heinrich Mintrop); (12) "Talent Development Middle Schools: Blueprints and Results for a Comprehensive Whole-School Reform Model" (Douglas J. MacIver, Martha A. MacIver, Robert Balfanz, Stephen B. Plank, and Allen Ruby); (13) "Fostering Resilience in High School Classrooms: A Study of the PASS Program (Promoting Achievement in School through Sport)" (Crystal McClendon, Saundra Murray Nettles, and Allan Wigfield); (14) "Small Learning Communities Meet School-to-Work: Whole School Restructuring for Urban Comprehensive High Schools" (Nettie E. Legters); and (15) "Building School-Family-Community Partnerships in Middle and High Schools" (Mavis G. Saunders and Joyce L. Epstein). The book ends with "Conclusion: Effective Schooling for Poor and Minority Adolescents: Refining the Focus" (Mavis G. Sanders). (Papers contain references.) (SM)