The ASPIRA Association in the District of Columbia conducted a longitudinal multimethod study with 1,152 students based on school records, interviews, the High School and Beyond study, and 1-year followup to study dropouts among Hispanic-American students in 5 cities: Chicago, Miami, Newark, Milwaukee, and San Antonio. Findings represent an…

The reliability of Mantel-Haenszel (MH) indexes across samples of examinees and sample sizes and their robustness to item context effects were investigated with data for 670 African-American and 5,015 white students from the Second International Mathematics Study. MH procedures can be used to detect differential item functioning. (SLD)

Investigates characteristics of 10 African-American women persisting in literacy programs. Subjects, aged 21 to 70 years, had been in reading programs from 1 to 8 years. Women cite their own determination and attitudes of program staff as among the most important variables in fostering persistence. (SLD)

The principal of Samuel Gompers Fine Arts Option School in Chicago (Illinois) has transformed the culture and atmosphere through emphasizing strong leadership, cracking down on safety issues, developing programs of which the whole school could be proud, emphasizing excellence, and encouraging community involvement. (JB)

A study evaluating South Carolina's postsecondary enrollment patterns by race and institution estimated enrollment probabilities by races, institutional type, and year during the five years following court-ordered desegregation of public colleges and universities. Findings show evidence of gradual progress toward desegregation in postsecondary…

The General Accounting Office (GAO) investigated the effects of educational reform on approximately 61,000 disadvantaged urban students (focusing on Black and Hispanic-American students) in 4 districts. Excerpts from GAO findings and implications of the mixed results, with overall modest gains, are provided. (SLD)

Explores the concept of youth culture in South Africa, examining its emergence and development. The historical background supports a framework to inform the debate on policy strategies to deal with negative aspects of current South African youth culture. An agenda is suggested for redirecting youth culture. (SLD)

A study was done to investigate the impact of public school building conditions on student achievement. An analysis of District of Columbia public schools showed that the size of an individual school's Parent-Teacher Association budget is positively related to the school building's condition and to student academic achievement. (JB)

Explores income inequality during declining African-American employment, examines current welfare systems, and suggests ways to improve the economic disadvantages of minority groups. Letting markets work can improve the economic status of African Americans. The present dual African-American economy, a market economy and an entitlement economy, is…

Presents data concerning doctoral degrees in physical education awarded to ethnic minorities between the years 1983 and 1990. Certain antecedents descriptive of this underrepresented cohort are also identified and discussed. Data show an increasing minority group population in secondary and postsecondary education, but an underrepresentation in…

Black high school seniors and white high school seniors were surveyed regarding the influence of school counseling, parental agreement with educational goals, and curriculum choice on college aspirations. Black students used counseling more frequently. Though the races differed significantly in high school programs, there were no significant…

Explores issues surrounding hate crime legislation and prosecution, with emphasis on motivation and first amendment issues. Hate crime legislation attempts to import the civil rights model into criminal law, but the very existence of the hate crime label raises social and political stakes in intergroup crimes. (SLD)

Effects of the policy of mandated busing for integration on overall achievement test scores of African-American children were studied with 434 elementary school students in Norfolk (Virginia). Achievement test scores declined after the elimination of mandated busing. School characteristics explained 9% of the variance in scores for all students.…

Studies the experiences of a talented cohort of the African-American teaching pool (n=41), focusing on why they chose to enter teaching and their perspectives on factors influencing retention of others like themselves in teaching. Being encouraged to teach appears to be a necessary element in the recruitment of African-American teachers. (SLD)

Contends that, in the past 30 years, a dramatic upsurge has taken place in activities designed to promote human rights for indigenous peoples around the world. Asserts that, in the case of Africa, attention generally has been concentrated on socioeconomic rights, such as health care, sufficient water, food, and shelter. (CFR)