Court-ordered citizen monitoring of school desegregation does little to increase participation in school politics by minorities, women, the powerless, or the uninvolved. The greatest effects of increasing community involvement are likely to be a little more effective desegregation and much more power and participation for those who already have…

The author disagrees with James Coleman's contentions (expressed in the preceding article) that we no longer have a rationale for preserving our commitment to public schools and that we should use public funds for a pluralistic conception of education. He offers reasons for renewing our commitment to public education. (Author/WD)

The fundamental job of school board members is to view themselves as moral and cultural leaders and to transform the needs of groups to a higher and more noble framework. Lists the National School Boards Association's statement on the governance role of the local school board. (MLF)

Applying the concept of "neighborhood effects" to education in a federal state such as Canada permits the argument for federal presence in public schooling. Includes four sets of examples of neighborhood effects that meet criteria specified for federal action. Notes five differences between Canadian and American public education.…

The difficulties faced by Chicago's public school system have prompted two state-level investigative bodies to recommend the breaking up of the system into smaller, locally controlled units. Without exhaustively reviewing all of the factors involved in making the transition from a centralized to a decentralized school governance structure, this…

Elected school boards' skeptical eyes can guard against bad management practices and ensure that different voices get heard. Problems with board governance are a product of too little democracy. A democratic reform strategy would make board elections partisan, hold them on the same day as elections for more prominent state or national offices,…

As a result of his study, "Public and Private Schools," James Coleman concludes that Catholic schools appear to be characterized by both higher quality, on the average, and greater equality than the public schools. Coleman discusses the reasons that may explain this finding. (Author/WD)

An on-line symposium on January 13, 1999, brought together policymakers, educators, parents, students, and local community reformers to discuss rural perspectives on academic standards. As part of an on-line dialogue extending from November 1998 to March 1999, the symposium linked on-line participants to panelists and participants in Burlington,…

Because the ultimate power to control school reform is in the hands of the superintendent or some other similarly positioned administrator, the reforms tend to benefit some student or constituency groups more than others. Judging from the personal characteristics of most superintendents and the political context of the superintendency itself, it…

Recommends the following considerations for teachers who must cope with censorship in public schools: (1) clarify professional role, (2) keep community aware of curricular goals and content, (3) develop clear selection policies for materials and rationales for using controversial materials, (4) handle complaints with carefully constructed…

Federal and state bilingual education legislation since 1923 has not enhanced the education of Pueblo Indian children in New Mexico. Lacking public school control, Pueblo Indians have resisted the establishment of bilingual education programs for their children. Bilingual-bicultural program development must be preceded by giving Pueblos community…