Discusses James Conant's ideas about the democratic role of the comprehensive high school and addresses just how those ideas have been treated by history. Major historical events have converged in the post-World War II period to make Conant's view of the democratic high school problematic, at least in large metropolitan areas. (SLD)

First-year outcomes are reported for Success for All--a program designed to bring all children to grade level in basic skills by the third grade. The program uses one-to-one tutoring, reading methods, frequent assessment, enhanced preschool and kindergarten programs, family support, and other interventions to prevent learning problems from…

Interviews with 78 high school students and 22 teachers in five high schools suggest that violence occurs at predictable locations and times in and around the school building. The locations were generally undefined public space not supervised by any teacher. Discusses implications for the prevention of school violence. Contains 98 references. (SLD)

Identifies the pressures and problems in adolescents' family, peer, and school worlds that they perceive as having impact on their learning. Interviews with 55 ethnically and academically diverse urban youth show problems with social worlds and transitions and the social, emotional, and educational consequences of these problems. (SLD)