This paper discusses teacher unionism's potential as a vehicle for democratizing education, examining Margaret Haley's 1904 speech on why teachers should organize, noting her role in setting this agenda, and exploring her contribution to the definition of a collaborative role for organized labor and schools in democratizing American society. (SM)

Delaware was a pioneer member of Project RE:LEARNING, designed to garner state policy makers' support for school reform. This article introduces three papers from various perspectives (school principal, policy analyst, and project coordinator) that target the political culture shaping school reform. Papers highlight mobilization difficulties…

Discusses the political nature of urban school districts, the job of urban school superintendents, and the continuing impact of Brown v. Board of Education. Examines demographic changes experienced in many urban areas since Brown; highlights the impact of white flight, federal and state education policy, and school takeovers on urban districts;…

Describes the development of a new online degree program at Northern Arizona University, the Educational Technology Master of Education. Topics include the political process; evidence of need; teachers and technology; professional development for technology use; learning communities; the learning paradigm regarding the mission of a college; and…

This case study details the circumstances that led to a revised policy on gifted education in a large suburban school district. It discusses factors that affected advocacy efforts and emphasizes the importance of key individuals, commitment, tenacity, and the necessity of a system being in place for change to occur. (Contains references.)…

Afro-Brazilian residents of urban favelas (outlying, unincorporated slums) have established community schools in response to lack of public schools. A study of three such community schools in Salvador, Bahia, focused on social justice issues, school efforts to rescue a Black identity denied by Brazil's official "racial democracy"…

Discusses Paulo Freire's theories about the nature of differential power and the effects of the politics of exclusion and oppression. Contends it is not possible to understand "reforms" in education and society without placing race at the center of one's critical analysis. (Contains 5 notes and 31 references.) (Author/MLF)

Two policy documents supporting education for ethnolinguistic or socioeconomic minorities in Catalonia are examined, identifying underlying assumptions and the views of cultural diversity implicit in them. It is concluded that the policy is formulated vaguely, incorporates contradictory statements, and neglects learners' first languages. Further…

Draws on interviews and published sources to examine Catholic educational policies and issues in Hong Kong, 1984-97, in the context of relationships between the Hong Kong Catholic Church and three authorities: colonial government, Chinese government, and Vatican. Discusses conflicts between Roman Catholicism and Communism, and language of…

Examines the role of state education departments from their 19th-century origins by tracing the development of state administrative authority in education and the political forces that shaped it. It proposes a theoretical framework for understanding state education departments as political institutions and examines the historical development of…

Describes development of Milwaukee's Parental Choice Program from an alliance of neoliberal reformers and supporters of inner-city community schools enrolling Black and Latino students. Necessary ingredients included the legacy of independent community schools, frustration of many Black school reformers with Milwaukee Public Schools, and political…

Reviews both the proposals and the problems inherent in the concept of decentralization. Examines the motives and methods involved in the current efforts in Trinidad and Tobago and recommends a specific course of action. Notes that these actions are driven more by political motivations than by a desire for educational quality. (MJP)

Examines the history of France's preservice teacher education, from separate primary and secondary training through the single new institution, the "Institut Universitaire de Formation des Maitres." The process of transition to this new institute has been difficult, largely due to powerful resistance shown by university and secondary…

Examines the currently strong movement toward the sponsorship of teachers' stories and narratives in educational research at a time when teachers' work is being technicalized and narrowed. The paper argues that new modalities using teacher stories and narratives as a starting point need to embrace wider historical and political discourses.…

Suggests ways for community colleges, workforce boards, economic development corporations, and school systems to work together to address the challenges of attracting, training, and retaining a quality workforce. Presents the examples of the Enterprise Center and the Information Technology Center, and other partnerships, in Marion County, Florida.…