The article addresses the demographic circumstances of student diversity, which have grown significantly in American schools in recent years and have posed a challenge for school reform. The article examines the emerging knowledge base and discusses federal education reform policy changes related to student cultural and linguistic diversity. (SM)

Maintains that, in many African nations, the structure of educational institutions remains determined largely by colonial foundations. Discusses educational history in Zimbabwe from the 1920s until 1987. Contends the most significant feature of Zimbabwe's educational system has been continuous and rapid sociopolitical change. (CFR)

Republican Party platform statements on education address these issues: support of traditional moral values, values and public support of the arts, leadership in science and technology, commitment to space research, research and education concerning Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and civil rights. (MSE)

Critiques the Bush Administration's "America 2000" education initiative, in particular the call for national testing as a major tool for student assessment and education reform. Discusses the difficulty of designing accurate instruments, the drain on resources for other needs, and the ineffectiveness of testing as an agent for reform.…

Discusses a female student's senior project linking women's difficulty using academic discourse with the roles they are expected to play in a male-dominated society. Explores the risk involved in her resistance to the dominant discourse, the role played by her professor, and the place of resistance in the larger educational process. (CJS)

Describes the deficit theories and skills approaches shaping how teachers, administrators, and students conceive of basic writers. Critiques research on cultural conflict in the classroom and the theory that students must be initiated into academic discourse. Explores John Ogbu's "oppositional culture" theory to better understand basic…

Changes are occurring in college-level English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. An accrediting body has been created for ESL programs to begin using uniform standards to evaluate varied programs. ESL teachers, many teaching part-time in more than one institution, are eager for better recognition of their profession, which has suffered in…

The emergence of lesbian and gay studies as legitimate academic fields has opened a political debate. Scholars face charges that their research lacks rigor; blurring of the civil rights issue by alignment with racial/ethnic minorities is another obstacle. It is argued that without administrator, faculty, and student support, these studies are at…

Examines cognitive processes that distort judgments about men and women thus perpetuating discriminatory practices in the professions and in academe. Cites studies of salary, rank, and tenure discrepancies and notes various unarticulated beliefs about gender that present obstacles to women's advancement. Affirmative action and institutional…

The Republican proposal to cut the federal student loan program is examined, and some of the other challenges and changes likely to be faced by higher education due to Republican politics are outlined, including appropriations for discretionary programs, welfare and immigration reform, social and economic policy issues affecting the middle class,…

A discussion of the current status of the German system of higher education looks at its relationship to federal and state governments, its administrative organization, problems (particularly in the eastern states) and areas where reform is needed, availability of student services, and the significance for the system as a whole of social and…

Reviews a book that documents the circumstances surrounding the closure of a small, rural West Virginia high school. The book's strength derives largely from its crossing of disciplinary borders to address social, political, and economic factors that have influenced changing educational values and the trend toward consolidation in rural West…

Provides a concise and interesting overview of the state of higher education in Cuba, specifically focusing on geography. The interests, methodologies, and programs of Cuban geographers are similar to other countries, albeit at a truncated level due to the United States embargo. Discusses international educational exchange efforts. (MJP)

Maintains that art education curriculum actually consists of four different curricula. These curricula reflect the administration's policy guidelines, the teachers' classroom instruction, the students' interest and influence, and the effects of national competitions. Argues for a single curriculum incorporating input from the teachers and the…

Proposes an extension of the arts education/business community relationship moving beyond issues of patronage and support. Maintains that the complexity of the 21st-century economy and society will be well served by the flexibility and creativity manifested in arts education. Recommends national goals and standards for arts education. (MJP)