Early in the 21st century, Hispanic Americans will become the largest U.S. ethnic minority. By 2050, the Hispanic, or Latino, population is projected to number around 100 million and constitute 25% of the U.S. population, up from 11% in 1996. This "Population Bulletin" looks at three aspects of the U.S. Hispanic population: (1) their…

Two decades of research show that parental involvement is associated with greater student achievement, improved parent and student attitudes toward education, and additional parent participation in other school activities. These conclusions are applicable to students at all educational levels and from diverse social and economic backgrounds. Aware…

This booklet consists primarily of book summaries about research projects sponsored by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) that have been recently completed. The summaries are arranged by research programs and include 15 reports about food systems and society, 13 about political participation, 6 on refugees, and 2…

Effective schools research has verified that schools are rarely effective unless the principal is a proficient instructional leader. This article summarizes five recent studies examining the practices and qualities comprising good instructional leadership. A Seattle study by Richard L. Andrews disclosed a statistical correlation between student…

Marking the first time that Mexican officials have spoken publicly on proposed United States immigration legislation, four leaders presented their personal views on the Simpson-Rodino legislation for immigration reform. They argued that a successful solution to perceived problems of migration between the United States and Mexico necessarily…

Rising litigation costs caused by lawsuits against the media and by media efforts to defend their perceived First Amendment rights are posing a threat to press freedom. In an attempt to stave off the costs of litigation, the media resort to self-censorship. In addition, pressure groups and individuals wishing to control or influence content have…

The news series contained in this book describe educational practices that have worked well in six states. The schools studied include elementary and secondary programs in the rural North and Midwest, the urban East, and suburban and rural South. Each educational journalist selected a group of schools that were judged outstanding by scholastic or…

Implications of recent developments in refugee outflow from Indochina demand a reexamination of American policy on Indochinese refugees. These developments include patterns of increased Vietnamese and Laotian refugee outflow despite Vietnam's disapproval of departure and Laos' liberalizing economic policies; the greater influx of "low…

Data from a survey of Illinois residents are used in this report to determine the extent and distribution of crime in the State. Specific areas addressed include: (1) the extent of two types of crime, violent crime and property crime, and which is the more predominant; (2) whether crime in Illinois is an urban or rural problem: (3) social…

Several times early in the twentieth century total annual immigration exceeded one million people. Current immigration figures may match those record totals. Since 1979, legal immigrants have averaged 566,000 a year; newly arrived refugees and asylees approved have averaged 135,000; and the "settled" illegal immigrant population may be…

A cohort of students was monitored throughout their nine-year comprehensive school career to investigate social segregation in Swedish schools. The study began in the school year 1972-73 and the students came from six large municipalities: Stockholm, Botkyrka, Lidingo, Malmo, Linkoping, and Boras. It found that, despite reforms allowing all…

Sub-Saharan Africa faces a historic challenge: to achieve economic and social progress while experiencing extraordinary population growth. With an estimated 1989 population of 512 million, the 42 countries of sub-Saharan Africa have the highest birth and death rates of any major world region. Throughout the region, population has outstripped…

This issue contains the following articles and features: (1) "Information for English Teachers"; (2) "The Right to Read in Any Language," by Wilga Rivers; (3) "Applying Theoretical Principles to the Teaching of Reading Comprehension," by Ahuva Weiss; (4) "Social and Economic Influences on English Teaching,"…

This report offers a conceptual model for use with language minority children who are entering a new school when they must acquire the language of the majority student population. The model has four development components or processes: sociocultural, linguistic, academic, and cognitive. These four components are described in detail. Research is…

Research during the 1960s and early 1970s suggested that the different outcomes of schooling for different students were due to factors outside the school. There was no consensus among the researchers over which factors outside the school had the greatest effect on student achievement. Swedish educational research has made many important…