In spite of almost 30 years of busing to achieve racial balance, there continues to be a significant gap between White and African American children in terms of school achievement, and African American students still score below national averages on achievement tests. As the city of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) considers whether to reduce or maintain busing, a review of the evidence shows that there are no consistent indications of improved academic performance among minority children as a result of busing. Nor is there evidence of improved self-image of minority children as a result of busing. In fact, there is no evidence of better race relations in cities where busing has been widespread, and there are signs of continued strife and controversy that suggest that forced busing solidifies prejudice and inflames racial tensions, further dividing communities. In Pittsburgh, the financially strapped Board of Education recently backed down from a proposal to reduce busing that would save almost $10 million in transportation costs, and instead adopted a plan that would keep busing essentially intact while costing the district an additional $10 million. A group of citizens, vowing to end forced busing in the city's schools, has moved to have the issue placed on the spring ballot as a nonbinding referendum. (Contains 83 references.) (Author/SLD)