This book presents a collection of essays by researchers and educators that examine the largest school system in the U.S.--the New York City school system. There are 5 parts with 15 chapters. Part 1, "Education in the City," includes: (1) "Schooling in New York City: The Socioeconomic Context" (Emanuel Tobier) and (2) "Public Schools That Work" (Clara Hemphill). Part 2, "Governance," includes: (3) "The Difference between Charter Schools and Charterlike Schools" (Pearl Rock Kane); (4) "Contractual Constraints on School Management: Principals' Perspectives on the Teacher Contract" (Dale Ballou); and (5) "The Bronx Leadership Academy High School: The Challenges of Innovation" (Lee Stuart). Part 3, "Defining Good Pedagogy," includes: (6) "The Teacher Crisis and Educational Standards" (Stephan F. Brumberg); (7) "Teaching Reading: Phonics and the Whole-Language Method" (Joanna P. Williams); (8) "Teaching Language Minorities: Theory and Reality" (Christine H. Rossell); and (9) "The Education of Handicapped Children" (Frank J. MacChiarola). Part 4, "Nonpublic Schools," includes: (10) "Catholic Schools" (Paul T. Hill and Mary Beth Celio); (11) "Jewish Day Schools" (Marvin Schick); and (12) "Historically Black Independent Schools" (Gail Foster). Part 5, "Choice," includes: (13) "Public School Choice: A Status Report" (Paul Teske, Mark Schneider, Christine Roch, and Melissa Marschall); (14) "When Low-Income Students Move from Public to Private Schools" (Paul E. Peterson and William G. Howell); and (15) "School Finance Reform: Introducing the Choice Factor" (Thomas Nechyba and Michael Heise). (SM)