Public school systems in Chicago have seen relatively little movement toward school decentralization, despite turbulent periods of civil rights. Some explanations framed in theoretical perspectives for the apparent lag as compared with other cities are given. (Author/AM)

The movement toward school decentralization in Chicago is best described as a strategy of incrementalism. It has proceeded along separate fronts--administrative decentralization, district and school advisory councils, and a special experimental district. This paper describes the extent to which these developments have progressed. It also seeks to…

This paper examines whether suburban communities can provide any useful conceptual tools for the examination of the prospects for community control in cities. Several propositions are advanced: First it is argued that the relevance of suburban community control to the poor in the cities is not diminished by the finding that those of high social…

This book, based on a survey of parents, teachers, and principals affiliated with 54 private schools in eight cities, examines the mandate for and effects of private education for low income, predominantly minority, urban populations. The study was directed toward exploring first why low income, minority parents choose private schools for their…