This article argues that with changes in attitudes and actions in classrooms, teachers can alter what happens in urban schools and transform the lives of students. Ten precepts are offered to assist them in that role: teach more, not less, content to poor, urban children; ensure all children gain access to conventions/strategies essential to…

Opportunity-to-Learn (OTL) benefits all students by providing information about how to improve the academic achievement of students, especially poor and minority students. This paper discusses ways in which the OTL conceptual framework can be expanded. OTL's conceptual framework identified four variables that have a powerful influence on teachers'…

This document is a model state statute to provide educational entitlements for students at risk of school failure. The statute is predicated on the conviction that children coming from the most impoverished circumstances have the ability to learn and succeed. It is also based on the belief that legislators have a pivotal role to play in…

Hispanics are one of the largest and fastest-growing minority groups in the United States. Projections indicate a need for an increase of 20% of practicing engineers by 2010. Despite the growing number of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers in the American economy, education statistics suggest that too few Hispanic students…

Many of the institutions that have helped children deal with the challenge of growing up, such as small towns and extended families, are disappearing or changing, and as a consequence schools are faced with greater responsibilities. Educators must reexamine what they do to acknowledge and validate the home and family, and must extend the…

This paper cites reasons to be optimistic and to be concerned about the creative potential of at-risk and disadvantaged students. Reasons for optimism include the wide distribution of creative potential, the significant role played by motivation in creative performances, and the diverse expression of creativity. Reasons for concern include the…

Advocates an intrusive advising stance and proactive teaching approach on the part of selected African-American and white faculty members as part of programs to retain disadvantaged African-American students in college. Meeting the political and organizational challenges of retaining disadvantaged African-American students is discussed. (SLD)

The Abt Associates' final report on the Follow-Through Planned Variation Experiment is defended against the critique published by a blue ribbon panel funded by the Ford Foundation. In contrast to the conclusions drawn by House, Glass, McLean, and Walker that Follow Through showed no "winners" or "losers", the National…