This volume presents the views of a range of African-American educators on questions related to African-American academic achievement. The concern in this volume is with the persistent, pervasive, and disproportionate underachievement of African-American students. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1, "Problem Identification," comprises the following chapters: (1) "An Interview with Booker Peek" (K. Lomotey); and (2) "The State of African-American Education" (F. C. Jones-Wilson). Part 2, "Factors Affecting Academic Achievement," comprises the following chapters: (3) "Changing an Urban School: Problems of Capacity and Power" (J. R. Bliss and M. C. Carrasco); (4) "Combatting Deculturalization of the African-American Child in the Public School System: A Multicultural Approach" (F. Boateng); (5) "Policy Failure in Urban Schools: How Teachers Respond to Increased Accountability for Students" (M. J. Shujaa); (6) "Helping Black Children Succeed: The Significance of Some Social Factors" (N. M. Haynes and J. Comer); and (7) "Literacy and Schooling in Subordinate Cultures: The Case of Black Americans" (J. U. Ogbu). Part 3, "Limitations of Academic Achievement Measures," comprises the following chapters: (8) "Limitations of Current Academic Achievement Measures" (A. G. Hilliard, III); and (9) "Standardized Test Scores and the Black College Environment" (J. Fleming). Part 4, "Programs that Work," comprises the following chapters: (10) "The Madison Elementary School: A Turnaround Case" (B. A. Sizemore); (11) "Qualities Shared by African-American Principals in Effective Schools: A Preliminary Analysis" (K. Lomotey); (12) "African-American Achievement: A Research Agenda Emphasizing Independent Schools" (J. D. Ratteray); and (13) "Visions for Children: Educating Black Children in the Context of Their Culture" (J. Hale-Benson). A 283-item bibliography is appended. (AF)