An examination of the variation among educational programs in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, San Jose (California), during the fourth year of its educational voucher demonstration project addresses the issue of whether alternative systems can generate significant diversity in public school education. The research questions (How do…

Studied the extent to which the character of four urban schools became more clearly defined in the interest of communicating with parents and of gaining their adherence to a shared vision of the school. Research efforts of the Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and Children's Learning are reported. (SLD)

Existing choice plans, which allow parents and students to choose among a variety of schools, vary dramatically in size, shape, and purpose. Different types of choice programs have different impacts, especially on low-income and minority group students; and it is not yet clear how school choice programs should be structured to assure that those…