Presents a retrospective look at two citizen participation programs of the 1960s and 1970s. Cautions that involving the community cannot be left to chance but must be planned and structured. Presence of a school council may not mean that the entire community will have an interest in the life of the school. (SA)

Choice offers the best prospect for accomodating parents' diverse educational expectations within public education and can help allay the public education crisis. To prevent educational choice from generating unequal opportunities and segregation, it is important to begin with planning for choices for poor children and low achievers. (RDN)

Describes a successful plan to reduce the racial isolation of Massachusetts school in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood. Ascribes the school's successful magnet minority enrollment largely to parental involvement. Offers examples of academic improvement among children attending the school. (RDN)

Provides an overview of Milwaukee's school desegregation plan and focuses on four areas said to involve inequities: attendance area differentials, segregated schools, suspension rates, and specialty schools. Argues that the Milwaukee Plan, although successful in many ways, has failed to provide important educational opportunities for all Black…

Magnet schools strive to draw students voluntarily to racially mixed settings by offering diversified educational opportunities. The impact of magnet schools on the political and organizational processes of a school system are discussed. (DF)

The myths, politics, and realities of public school choice in Canada are explored. With the crisis of confidence in the public education system that has been documented in recent years, parents are seeking to ensure academic success for their children through choice of schools, under the theory that there is no universal best school model. Public…

The effectiveness of the magnet school program of the Duval County Public Schools, Florida, was studied. The magnet schools were established at approximately half of the district's 150 schools as part of a desegregation plan. The schools offered a variety of theme programs. In spring 1998, the program was evaluated by four subcommittees of a…

This document examines many of the issues surrounding school choice. It summarizes the prevalence of school choice and touches on elements of the debate, such as the dilemma in finding the right balance between individual/family freedom and the interests of the community. In looking at school-choice options, the paper divides them into…

Counselors and pupil personnel workers have a special role in development of career education models for Black students who have not benefited from standard career education. Integrative models, ancillary models, vocational schools, magnet schools and departmental support models can work based on morality, reality and economic justice. (JAC)

Presents a measurement of the time and resources committed to traditional student actions such as reading and working homework. The perception of the educational value of each action for both students and faculty is captured. Basic educational efficiencies are computed for a traditional mechanics course and a nontraditional hands-on Electricity…

An Indianapolis magnet middle school is successfully using mental models and multiple intelligences theory to guide collaborative professional development and equitable education. A curriculum originally developed for gifted and talented students is now accessible to all students. The program draws upon students' individual strengths across all…

Argues that mandatory busing, while resulting in cases of "White flight," has had positive consequences in the re-emergence of "choice" programs and magnet schools. Contends that choice programs can be expanded on intradistrict, metropolitan, and statewide levels. Suggests that Federal funding and private education should be…

Applies effective schools research to inner city magnet schools to create effective schools of choice that maximize both educational access and quality. Topics include the following: (1) school environment; (2) instructional leadership; (3) parent participation; and (4) admission processes. (FMW)

Discusses three broad classes of magnetic behavior: diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and ferromagnetic. Presents a simple lecture demonstration using an overhead projector to synthesize triiron tetraoxide and to show its interaction with a magnetic field and comparing it to a paramagnetic material. (MVL)

Argues that parent and teacher choices are significant for school reform only to the extent that they result in schools of distinctive character that rest upon a coherent ethos, a shared understanding of education, and the purposes of human life. The author examines four school characteristics that help describe how and why they are distinctive.…