Counter to narratives of persistently failed school reform, we argue that reforms sometimes succeed and seek to understand why. Drawing on examples from the founding of public schools to the present, we find that successful system-wide reforms addressed problems that teachers thought they had by being consistent with prevailing norms and values,…

This special report, the final installment of a three-part series on e-learning, examines how schools are working to create high-quality digital curricula and online courses. It covers the influence the common-core standards are likely to have on building the online curricula of the future, the growing emphasis on teaching social skills to virtual…

Academic sociologists have recently increased their focus on improving high school sociology. Reform efforts include networking between teachers and universities, improving curriculum, and enhancing teacher training. I propose that this list be expanded to include setting curricular standards. Current trends in educational reform center on…

Magnet schools have developed strong national and local constituencies among parents and educators, who see them as vehicles for bringing equity and academic excellence to all students. Typically, these schools offer innovative programs through a specialized focus or theme. They may emphasize subjects like science or the arts, or they may adopt…

The superintendent claims an advanced placement (AP) European history course was eliminated and an AP course in comparative government was added to provide a little more coherence, not to create a multicultural approach. A parents' committee claims they formed over the issue of academic rigor, not multiculturalism. (MLF)

A plan for the academic magnet high school (AMHS) program offered by the Charleston County (South Carolina) School District is presented in this report. A program overview describes general goals for students, which would emphasize thinking skills in all academic core areas, problem-solving skills in mathematics and research-based science,…