Argues that multicultural education practices in most schools today have not adequately addressed the larger issues of social justice and equal access to educational resources. Discusses four profoundly multicultural questions educators must address: Who's taking calculus? Which classes meet in the basement? Who's teaching the children? How much…

Argues that poor and minority students' access to quality teachers can significantly narrow the achievement gap. Describes research showing the effects of quality teaching on academic achievement and teacher-quality provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. Suggests several ways to improve teacher quality such as salary increases, subsidized…

Discusses the factors influencing the recent increase in school segregation based on findings of recent study by The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University. Resegregation factors include changes in residential patterns, public-school choice, and Supreme Court decisions such as "Freeman v Pitts" (1992) and "Missouri v Jenkins" (1995)…

Describes how after the lifting of years of court-ordered desegregation, the citizens of Wilmington, Delaware, voted not to return to neighborhood schools, choosing instead to maintain the school district's socioeconomic and racial diversity. (PKP)

Argues that under certain conditions, high standards and demanding assessment can hurt rather than help low-achieving students. Discusses three practices educators and policymakers should avoid: requiring students to repeat a grade, placing students in low-track classes, and holding students accountable for material not yet taught. (Contains 13…

Describes several instructional strategies successful schools have commonly used to raise the academic achievement of poor and minority students. Achievement-gap closure strategies include emphasizing reading skills, teaching higher order thinking skills, routinely reviewing material, making at-risk students participate in class, requiring…

Describes case studies of three elementary schools' instructional practices for English-language learners. Finds deficient English-language learner programs in two schools, but an innovative instructional program in one of the schools wherein English-language learners are integrated into multiage classrooms taught by English as a Second Language…

Advises educators on how to address the learning needs of Latino students. Includes understanding the issues, valuing Latino strengths, adopting culturally sensitive pedagogy, and examining society's unexamined norms. (Contains 21 references.)

Describes the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in science and mathematics. Provides advice to parents, educators, and students on how to raise minority-group achievement. Describes the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, which recruits and supports minority students who excel in…

Describes how Title I programs in No Child Left Behind Act can apply certain research-based strategies to improve the achievement of poor and minority students, including preschool and full-day kindergarten programs, extending learning into the summer, and accelerating school-year learning through the reduction of class size or the implementation…

Briefly describes history of public-school funding, including tuition and charity-support schools and flat grants. Discusses contemporary school-funding approaches from the perspective of educational equity and educational adequacy: the foundation method, extra funding for poor children, and funding tied to student learning. (Contains 12…

Examines sex bias in teacher-education methods textbooks in reading, social studies, science, and mathematics. Identifies several forms of bias. Suggests strategies for classroom teachers and teacher educators to counter sex bias in textbooks and curriculum materials. Includes list of teacher-education textbooks used in study. (PKP)

Asserts that while females have made gains in high school mathematics, science, and technology achievement, they still lag far behind males in undergraduate degrees in computer science, engineering, and physics. Advocates continuation of math and science enrichment and support programs for females. (PKP)

Describes several academic and behavioral issues involving males in schools, such as males score lower in language arts on standardized tests than females and males dominate school discipline statistics. Suggests several strategies to address these issues: Offer more technology, use multiple literacy approaches, encourage mentoring relationships,…

Describes written responses from black high school students to question: What do you think is the number one reason African American children do not score as high as other ethnic groups? Includes selected comments in five categories: students on students, teachers, parents, schools, and environment. Summarizes student suggestions on what can be…