With this collection of chapters by leading scholars and researchers in the field, the reader can develop the knowledge and skills needed to maximize the opportunities that diversity offers while minimizing its challenges. The reader will explore current and emerging research, concepts, debates, and teaching strategies for educating students from different cultural, racial, ethnic, language, gender, social class, and religious groups. This book is organized into the following six parts and 17 chapters. Part I, Issues and Concepts, contains the first group of chapters: (1) Multicultural Education: Characteristics and Goals (James Banks), with Feature: Introduction to High-Stakes Testing; and High Stakes: Testing for Tracking, Promotion and Graduation--National Research Council's Committee on Appropriate Test Use (Jay P. Heubert, Ed. and Robert M. Hauser, Ed.); (2) Culture in Society and in Educational Practices (Frederick Erickson); and (3) Race, Class, Gender, and Disability in the Classroom (Carl A. Grant and Christine E. Sleeter). Part II, Social Class and Religion, contains the next two chapters: (4) Social Class and Educational Equality (Caroline Hodges Persell); and (5) Christian Nation or Pluralistic Culture: Religion in American Life (Charles H. Lippy). Part III, Gender, then presents: (6) Gender Bias: From Colonial America to Today's Classrooms (David Sadker and Myra Sadker); (7) Classrooms for Diversity: Rethinking Curriculum and Pedagogy (Mary Kay Thompson Tetreault); and (8) Transforming the Curriculum: Teaching about Women of Color (Johnnella E. Butler). Part IV, Race, Ethnicity, and Language, contains: (9) Educational Equality for Students of Color (Geneva Gay); (10) Approaches to Multicultural Curriculum Reform (James A. Banks); (11) The Colorblind Perspective in School: Causes and Consequences (Janet Ward Schofield); and (12) Language Diversity and Education (Carlos J. Ovando). Part V, Exceptionality, then offers: (13) Educational Equality for Students with Disabilities (William L. Heward, Rodney A. Cavanaugh, and Sara C. Ernsbarger); (14) School Inclusion and Multicultural Issues in Special Education (Luanna H. Meyer, Jill Bevan-Brown, Beth Harry, and Mara Sapon-Shevin); and (15) Recruiting and Retaining Gifted Students from Diverse Ethnic, Cultural, and Language Groups (Donna Y. Ford). Part VI, School Reform, presents the final two chapters: (16) School Reform and Student Learning: A Multicultural Perspective (Sonia Nieto); and (17) Communities, Families, and Educators Working Together for School Improvement (Cherry A. McGee Banks).