In this historical examination, Amato Nocera, Kyle P. Steele, and John Hensley argue that the development of Black rural high schools in the decades leading up to the "Brown v. Board of Education" decision represented the dynamic between standardization, white supremacy, and Black self-definition that has shaped US education reform.…

This research answers the question, "How did pre-Brown African American school leaders lead their schools?" After conducting a metasynthesis on the leadership practices of pre-Brown African American school leaders, I constructed the Pre-Brown African American School Leadership Paradigm (PAASLP) and model. The PAASLP describes a paradigm…

The aim of this essay is to advance understandings of current efforts to democratize disciplined approaches to educational innovation and improvement in the US and other countries, with a specific focus on the macro-level policy contexts of improvement research in education. In the US, earlier analyses examined these policy contexts from a…

How to address the educational needs of students with limited English proficiency (LEP) is a particularly challenging and often controversial endeavor. Failure to address the needs of students with LEP often results in denial of meaningful educational opportunities and leads to disproportionate representation in special education programs. This…

Many universities exist apart from their community's public schools. A New Orleans area public university took measures to facilitate collaborative partnerships with four public schools. Those schools were taken over and converted to charter schools by state officials for poor performance. The partnerships created simultaneous opportunities and…

The federal government's role in PreK-12 education has long been contentious and continues to evolve. Many have written about education governance, but few have attempted to define an appropriate role for the federal government. That is the core purpose of this essay. The authors articulate a set of principles to guide the federal role in…

Over several years the American public educational system has failed to address one of the most infuriating problems faced by our nation, narrowing the achievement gap in urban districts with urban learners. Historically, minority students have not paralleled the academic performance of their White counterparts. This holds true with standardized…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress--commonly called "The Nation's Report Card"--tells a dismal story: Only 2% of high school seniors in 2010 could answer a simple question about the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark "Brown v. Board of Education" decision. And it's no surprise. Across the country, state educational…

The gap between Blacks and Whites in educational outcomes has narrowed dramatically over the past 60 years, but progress stopped around 1990. The author reviews research suggesting that increasing the quantity and quality of schooling can play a powerful role in overcoming racial inequality. To achieve that goal, he reasons, our knowledge of best…

My sojourn at "The Journal" (from April 2001 through June 2004) was one of great challenges that gradually culminated into huge accomplishments! Looking back, it gives me immense joy to have served as the Editor-in-Chief and become a small part of "The Journal's" history. This article presents a historical overview for the…

The Senator from New Mexico describes the discrimination against native language and culture to which non-English speaking minority students have been subjected, summarizes Federal court action to date to improve their educational opportunities, and argues for a more thorough implementation of bilingual-bicultural education programs. (SF)

Maintains that opportunities for equal education are inextricably related to other societal factors such as health, welfare, employment, and housing; suggests that equitable distribution of society's finite resources, diversification of educational programs and systems, desegregation, and a redefinition of the Federal government's role in…

A review of some of the most important educational research of the past 50 years. Re-establishes how noted researchers and their research-based formulations have influenced U.S. Supreme Court decisions; curriculum and instruction; early childhood education; and policies regarding small class size, standards-based reform, and productivity.…

This paper examines the major social science contributions to racial balance as a policy alternative to the unequal educational opportunity suffered by Afro-Americans. It is argued that, although the policy is considered by advocates and the courts to be a remedy for discrimination, it is in fact a continuation of white dominance, or racism. It is…

Provides a historical overview of desegregation policies, approaches, and priorities through an analysis of legal developments and strategies since 1850. Discusses the implications of the reassessment and redirection on equity and educational excellence that have occurred over the past decade. (FMW)