As voucher and tax-credit scholarship programs have expanded in recent years, another promising development has been the incorporation, into more such programs, of provisions that hold participating private schools to account for their students' performance. The newest and largest voucher programs, such as those in Louisiana and Indiana, have gone…

Reviews major court decisions on cases involving instructors' rights to teach controversial issues, to choose their teaching style, and to affect the curriculum in such ways as deciding to assign creationist or evolutionary biology textbooks. (Editor/RK)

THIS ISSUE OF THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION, AN OFFICE OF EDUCATION REGIONAL LABORATORY, CONTAINS AN ADDRESS TO THE STAFF ON THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE CENTER, A REVIEW OF THE STATUS OF EDUCATIONAL PARKS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND A REPORT ON CLASSES IN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING WHICH WERE SUBSTITUTED FOR THE…

Employing a mixed-method explorative approach, this study examined the in situ use of and opinions about an educational computer game for learning English introduced in three schools offering different levels of freedom to choose school activities. The results indicated that the general behaviour of the children with the game was very different…

FOR 8 WEEKS IN THE SUMMER OF 1964, MORE THAN 2,000 NEGRO YOUNGSTERS, AVERAGING 15 YEARS OF AGE BUT RANGING FROM 6 TO 26 AND OLDER, WENT TO FREEDOM SCHOOLS IN MISSISSIPPI. THE STUDENTS WERE TAUGHT BY TEACHERS WHO MET NO OFFICIAL QUALIFICATIONS. THEY ASSEMBLED IN CHURCH BASEMENTS OR ON THE STREETS. THEY CAME AND WENT WITHOUT ATTENDANCE RECORDS,…

This is the second of a series of Capsule Bibliographies on current issues on urban and minority education. It is a selection from a computer search using suitable descriptors matched against a standard Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) Clearinghouse profile for urban and minority concepts. Such descriptors (subject headings) as…

Clear guidelines for the operation of student publications are absolutely necessary. Some elements to be considered in establishing such guidelines are suggested. (Author/MLF)

The author points out that accountability should give each counselor the kind of responsible freedom that he expects to develop in those he counsels. (Author)

Examines the history, magnitude, causes, consequences, and remedies of grade inflation. Predicts the erosion of professional autonomy and academic freedom if schools abandon the task of conscientiously assessing what students have learned and external agencies take on the task. (DMM)

Presents evidence to demonstrate that accountability (1) is developing into something it was never meant to be; (2) can mean more freedom for school boards, superintendents, principals, and teachers; and (3) can place extra pressures on board members. (Author/JF)

"Institutional context" has come to play an important role in the explanation of differences in "effectiveness" between schools. But what is meant by such a concept differs from system to system. In this study we typify education systems based on indicators of institutional contexts such as: the financial base of public-private…

Student resiliency refers to the ability to succeed in school regardless of unpleasant circumstances, such as poverty or abuse, and can be measured by the degree of presence of the following components: a sense of well-being, motivation, ability to set goals, development of strong relationships or connections, and stress management (Close &…

Philosophical considerations in the Tinker v Des Moines declaration of the constitutional personhood of minors are presented. The questions are raised: To what degree should minors be afforded personal freedom under the law? and How does this freedom affect schools? Suggestions for clarification of the decision are given. (MJB)

America 2000 tries to advance both student achievement and educational freedom (through school choice). Its newly formulated learning standards and achievement tests could benefit children of all regions and backgrounds. America 2000 will strengthen all citizens' future by creating a national mechanism for quality control. (11 references) (MLH)

Hardly a week passes without yet another highly visible court case involving the rights and freedoms of secondary school students. The subject matter of these lawsuits is as varied as the activities of the students who have gone to court to vindicate their legal interests. The outcome of such cases also runs the gamut; some student plaintiffs (and…