The concept of community schools can be traced back to the early 20th century when industrialization, immigration, and urbanization were rapidly increasing, and public schools in cities were struggling to meet the social and civic needs of students from low-income families. In the 1960s and 1970s, advocacy groups promoted community schools as a…

Locally controlled public schools are one of the cornerstones of our nation's democracy, yet many schools are not preparing students for success. Far too many students are not graduating, and many of those who do graduate are woefully unprepared for college or a meaningful career. Successfully initiating and sustaining meaningful improvements in…

This report discusses the current state of higher education, with a brief high-level overview of the market and a more detailed discussion and analysis of the financial aid system. It also discusses the important changes President Obama has made to make higher education more accessible and affordable. The key findings are: (1) The economic returns…

Historically, policies and funding guidelines for most federal educational programs have not adequately recognized the diversity of rural schools. A dichotomy of rural and urban, or even a tripartite classification (urban, suburban, and rural), would mask the internal diversity of rural schools. Current efforts to understand the condition of…

Reviews the objectives, methods, and findings of three studies: "Program Consolidation and the State Role in ESEA Title IV," conducted for the U.S. Office of Education; "The Private High School Today," U.S. Office of Education Research; and "Secondary Schools and Their Effects on Children," a study conducted in…

This report focuses on how teachers can best be introduced to teaching in low-income schools. The report is based on findings in research literature and documents. An in-depth literature review draws on materials from a number of different educational disciplines for perspectives on training methods, competencies, characteristics, and other…

Federal and state educational indicator systems should include assessments of school context as well as of student outcomes. A review of the literature suggests that access to knowledge, pressure for achievement, and professional teaching conditions are the best general constructs to provide bases for school context indicators. (TJH)