Federal and state response to the educational needs of gifted students has been intermittent and permissive. The lack of cohesive and comprehensive policies pertaining to identification and programming for these students has created a disparity in services within and across states. Broader education policies, such as those resulting from No Child…

This article elaborates a model of social democratic and conservative discourses in relation to access, financing, management, and results of higher education. The model is contrasted with the position of the Conservative Party and the Labour Party in the United Kingdom from the late 1970s to 2010 as expressed in their electoral manifestos. The…

This monograph describes the historiography of language ideologies that led to the politicisation of Arabic and the Arabicisation of politics in the Sudan, starting from British colonial rule until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that was a precursor to the separation of the South as an independent state. The monograph shows that the…

Contemporary test-based reforms are often grounded in the claim that test performance is the key to international economic competitiveness. However, this oft-repeated assertion lacks empirical support. According to the World Economic Forum, the United States' recent loss of economic competitiveness standing is due to macroeconomic instability…

High-poverty schools in rural areas and small towns are under attack from state policy makers who want to consolidate these schools in order to save money. In addition to calls for consolidation, rural schools also are threatened by unfair and inadequate funding formulas.

Purpose: In an effort to better understand the political dimensions of organizational learning, this paper aims to examine learning processes in an organizational context--namely renegotiation of pay and performance management arrangements--where the interests of organizational members are threatened. Design/methodology/approach: Data were derived…

This study examines urban/suburban differences in educational outcomes in light of Tilly's conception of "opportunity hoarding." Data from the U.S. Census reveal the changing circumstances of 17-year-olds in central city and suburban settings across the post-World War II period. Focusing on the metropolitan Northeast and Eastern Midwest,…

"The Wire," a critically acclaimed television series on HBO, is one of the latest narratives of urban schools to appear on screen. The series--which unfolded across five seasons and aired its series finale in late 2007--is set in Baltimore and interweaves the stories of inner city residents, particularly a network of characters involved…

This paper presents a discussion of Howard Zinn's intellectual and political ideas. Through the analysis of selections from his immense body of work, several interrelated themes emerge. Drawing more attention to these notions of dissent and democracy is crucial to revitalizing education at all levels and vital to advancing the public discourse…

This paper is intended to share the results of the assessment of the use of the Online Work Community (OWC), developed in the Moodle technology that was used as an instrument to facilitate the educational and operational processes, intended to share problems and proposals for solution among the 470 members of the development teams, made up of…

This Wallace-commissioned report identifies the emergence of a new kind of education advocacy organization in the U.S., assesses how these groups influence education policy, provides an overview of their work across the country, and offers a case study of one, Advance Illinois. The report argues that these groups, and their potential foundation…

This article reports that by next fall--only months before she leaves office--U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings plans to have five teachers on her staff and set up a group of 20 ad hoc advisers still working in classrooms. Under the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship program the teachers would work at the department for one year starting…

In 1999 the Ohio Supreme Court found the Cleveland school voucher program to be constitutional, thereby allowing the three-year-old initiative to continue. However, the school voucher program was ended when Judge Solomon Oliver enjoined the program after the anti-voucher coalition filed suit asking for a preliminary injunction. The judge's…

This study investigated the general instructional modes of adult educators in Southeast China and Northeast China. The study utilized Conti's (1983, 2004) Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) to measure instructional modes of adult educators. Data were collected from 112 randomly selected participants engaged in teaching Chinese adult…

The purpose of this study was to redress the paucity of research regarding superintendents and their role in implementing parent and community involvement policies. Another aim was to examine which types of parent and community involvement practices, if any, may be related to student achievement. A mixed methods inquiry was applied. The Measure…