This document reports on the efforts of big cities to confront the new politics of child and family policies in the United States. A 35-member Roundtable was convened in 1995 to analyze the initial impacts of the new federal legislation and assess consequences for urban children. Part I contains some brief remarks about the plight of big cities…

It is proposed that a process of "chiquitafication" has diminished the complexity of the languages and cultures of over 22 million Latinos living in the United States, and that this process has repercussions for their linguistic security, language maintenance, and ultimately, their hopes for a good life. Focus is on three aspects of this…

This study of experiments with a new type of educational institution in Communist China is based upon an analysis of materials from Chinese Communist newspapers and periodicals. Reliance upon a discriminating use of such materials is necessitated by the lack of impartial first hand evaluations of these new institutions by qualified outside…

Argues in favor of government support for any school that teaches the values of the parents whose children attend the school, and for the elimination of present distinctions of public, private, and parochial. Suggests that any school, whatever its sponsorship, is a public school if it meets the needs of its relevant public. (Author/MJL)

Analyzes the relationship of indigenous and western educational systems in lower Zaire during the transformation from the lineage form of production that prevailed in precolonial times to a form of dependent capitalism. Explores the relationships between education, religion, social structure, and social stratification patterns, especially among…

Describes early court cases and decisions that influenced the struggle to end desegregation in higher education and analyzes the reaction in the Black press to the breakthroughs accomplished in those cases. Credits the press with correctly interpreting events that led to integrated graduate and professional education. (Author/MJL)

Charges of racism directed at the Administration's decision to discontinue withholding tax exemptions from "discriminatory" private schools ignored the real issue, namely that the Internal Revenue Service, lacking statutory authority on the matter, derived its authority from past court precedents. Should civil rights policymaking…

The liberal consensus that has shaped national education policy is seen as succumbing to dubious ideas and undesirable practices. Issues discussed include: educational equity, equality and quality; measures of educational achievement; accountability; "need" and ability; statism and monoply, pluralism and diversity; federal role; and…

Examines the present status of curriculum laws, the constitutional rights of those who oppose curriculum laws, and the possible impact of reduced local property taxes on state-mandated curricula. Available from Willamette University College of Law, Salem, OR 97301. (Author/IRT)

Title I Evaluation models using uniform procedures and data collection for state and national comparisons are interpreted as federal endorsement of basic, common competencies in reading and mathematics. Basic competencies, content homogeneity, conversion methodology, and validity of the evaluation are discussed. (MH)

Major common language problems arising in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet bloc are outlined, as identified in recent literature, and pressing language-related issues in specific former Soviet states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,…

Presents excerpts from two interviews, conducted in 1979 and 1995, with John Coe, a British primary education specialist and advocate for child-centered education. As primary education has veered toward a national curriculum and assessments, school choice, locally managed schools, and a strong, politically charged accountability element, teachers…

Claims that early childhood education programs in Australia have been dominated by ideas and practices introduced from elsewhere and only in recent years have alternative paradigms existed. Provides an overview of the development of early childhood programs in Australia, describes the context in which early childhood education curriculum has…

Outlines the emergence of English as a Second Language in continental Europe, demonstrating a continuous trend in second language instruction in both eastern and western Europe. Examines the status of English language instruction today and what differentiates it from instruction in other languages, and looks more closely at English instruction in…

A yearlong, qualitative investigation of fourth and fifth graders in two elementary classrooms refines an emerging conclusion about children's historical thinking--their tendency to see historical events in terms of individuals' personal intentions and interactions and to ignore the role of societal institutions (government and the economy). An…