Explains how problems in urban schools mirror problems in U.S. society and how this affects disadvantaged and minority children, discussing one professor's experiences with racial bias in his own educational experiences. Describes the creation of the Comer School Development Program, questioning reform projects and programs that do not take child…

This paper argues that schools are not the means by which diverse societal ills can be cured, but schools should be considered the dependent measure for assessing behavioral applications for social change. The concept of child services centers is proposed, providing parent education, community development, emergency care, health care, nutritional…

An understanding of developmental psychology should be the basis of school reform. How students grow and learn is the obvious focal point for efforts to establish improvement policies. Experiences in creating a climate in inner-city schools that supports development are described. (SLD)