Current policy and programme considerations of the role of the private sector in the promotion of schooling reform and the achievement of Education For All encompass a somewhat narrow arena of debate. Discussion of the relative merits of private / state schools remain based on measurable, yet partial, markers of efficiency and effectiveness.…

This book focuses on educational change processes in the context of larger scale educational reform. The first of 2 volumes, the book contains 11 chapters that examine the historical, social, and economic forces at work in the formulation and implementation of educational policy. The chapters present different cross-cultural experiences of…

This paper presents an overview of legislative developments and policy debates that occurred in Maryland during 1994-95 and their effects on school finance. These developments include: (1) the election, by a narrow margin, of a new Democratic governor who promised to restore state cuts in educational expenditures; (2) the increase of…

This position paper presents a discussion of "academic child abuse," defined as the use of practices that cause unnecessary failure of groups of students in foundation skill and knowledge areas. Part 1 articulates the fundamental problems with the decision-making practices of school districts and other agencies charged with teaching children.…

The 21 essays in this book interrogate one another as they explore the relationships among politics, curriculum, and pedagogy in contemporary classrooms and cultures. Critical theory, the book suggests, is generated in and through classroom practice, rather than imported from without. After an introduction by James F. Slevin and Art Young, essays…

This is a book of essays about the future roles of schools and education in society. In the debates over these roles, it has become clear that education is not just about conventional school matters such as curriculum, standards, or testing. Rather, what is done in school must be seen in the broader context of what society intends education to…

A major controversy arose in 1987 in a midwestern school district, after a middle school teacher assigned the novel "Go Ask Alice" to her seventh-grade class. This book describes the district's attempt to answer two basic questions: What should students read? and Who should decide what students read? The book controversy is first…

School desegregation strategies are examined in political contexts to focus on the politics of quality schooling for African Americans. Through this approach, racialized uses of power in white self-interest are shown to influence policy making and policy implementation related to education. Essays include: (1) "Reclaiming Historical Visions…

Family service providers cannot afford not to get involved in advocating for family-friendly public policy, in the face of legislation that jeopardizes family programs. Designed for community-based program providers, this guide asserts the importance of advocacy for families at the state and federal legislature level. Sections of the guide are:…

This book addresses the question of what kind of relationship between human beings and nature will best serve the interests of both. The history of Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeastern California illustrates how divergent views on this relationship have impacted the evolution of the American preservation and conservation movement. Prior…

Views about privatization's advantages and disadvantages vary widely in the educational research literature. These disparate views are shaped by reviewers' frames of reference and the evaluation criteria that they use. This book was written to help readers develop more refined lenses for viewing the privatization movement. Chapter 1 asserts that…

Researchers who view schools as cultural organizations have tended to assume that they are monocultural entities. This paper presents a view of complex secondary schools as multicultural organizations. It discusses findings of a year-long study that examined the professional culture within two high schools in Washington State as each attempted to…

Home schooling, practiced as an alternative to both public and private schooling, is on the increase. This booklet provides an overview of the home schooling movement's statistical and demographic background. It also describes the legal context in states across the United States; the advocacy groups that are involved; the reasons why parents home…

This guide consists of four units that explore how media are transforming politics in the United States and how citizens can become more analytical of media messages to participate more fully in democracy. Each session is complete with procedural instructions, handouts, and is tied to readings pertinent to the topic. The Awareness and Analysis…

Focusing on legislation expected to be addressed by the 105th Congress, this booklet sets forth an agenda for the nation's community colleges, developed by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). An introductory section provides background on community colleges, indicating…