The Urban Learner Framework stresses four themes: the importance of students' cultural strengths and learning experiences, culture's influence on cognitive development, the importance of motivation and effort, and resilience as a characteristic of urban learners. Barriers to change include belief systems, district size, regulations, multiple…

Educators at two elementary schools in Arlington, Virginia, have designed evening programs to help immigrant parents acclimate to U.S. schooling practices. One school has a program that orients parents and explains teachers' expectations while children learn socialization skills. The other school combines a similar program with parent volunteer…

In neighborhoods of wide socioeconomic and cultural variation, liaisons who speak at least two languages are a vital link between school and community. Over several years, Fairfax County, Virginia, program has grown from one part-time position to three positions to meet the needs of the sizable Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking communities. (MLH)

Collectivism, stressing family members' interdependence, is common to Latino cultures. In contrast, schools foster independence and individual achievement. To help teachers understand assumptions underlying these different values, the authors developed the "Bridging Cultures Project" as a research-based professional-development program.…