Contemporary educational theory holds that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate student achievement, especially in disadvantaged schools, is the inability of schools to adequately staff classrooms with qualified teachers. Deficits in the quantity of teachers produced and in the quality of preparation prospective teachers receive have long been…

Presents a litany of flaws in the No Child Left Behind Act that adversely affect low-income and minority students. Urges a new federal law that truly promotes high-quality schooling supported by fair assessments and accountability. (Contains 24 references.) (MLF)

Presents a study of South Australian primary school teachers and 9-12 year old disadvantaged students. Examines what made the difference between disadvantaged students who succeed and disadvantaged students who do not succeed or do well. Discusses the respondents' thoughts on the role of the family, community, and school. (CMK)

Report on part of a study of 10 principals who were asked about their views toward the state's accountability measures in reference to their schools and their roles, and what, if any, effect external accountability had on internal accountability or developing the organizational capacity of their school. (Contains 19 references.) (WFA)

Daniel A. Grout School in southeast Portland, Oregon, built a unified literacy program that sparked change across the school. The "literacy block" program, which focuses on teacher collaboration, early intervention, and higher-order thinking skills, began in 1996 as a Title I Schoolwide program. In 1998, Grout staff received "early…

In August 2000, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of school children against the state of California. The suit, Williams v. State of California, alleged that the state failed to exercise its constitutional obligation to provide equal access to education for all students in the state by allowing deficient…

This article reports on the final congressional approval given by the U.S. Senate to a school voucher initiative for the nation's capital. Supporters vowed to have the program up and running by fall, while opponents pledged to do their best to derail it. In a move billed as historic by proponents and disgraceful by critics, the Senate passed the…

The purpose of this paper is to provide a strength-based discussion of the relationship between parenting values of low-income African Americans and the academic performance of their school-aged children. Using resilience theory as a framework (Seccombe, 2002), the authors suggest that African American parents in low-resourced communities have…

Using data from the final two rounds of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), a longitudinal study begun in 2001, this First Look provides a snapshot of the demographic characteristics, reading and mathematics knowledge, fine motor skills, school characteristics, and before- and after-school care arrangements of the cohort…

This article discusses how the traditional Maori concept of Hauora (balanced development) can be applied to beginning teacher induction programmes. To develop this idea, several steps were taken. From a nationwide survey, five primary schools were chosen with exemplary induction programmes. Data from interviews and observations indicated that…

Many programs have tried to offset the problems with which many children of low socioeconomic status (SES) enter public schools. Some of these programs have attempted to better prepare preschool children for school, while others have tried to help children already struggling in school. The United States has one of the highest child-poverty rates…

A former superintendent of a small school district in rural Texas describes the conditions and needs of the district and reflects on school consolidation and alternative solutions to the district's problems. In 1994, the district enrolled 650 students. Facilities were 30 years old and in constant need of repair, with leaking roofs and unsafe…

An evaluation is presented of the Collaborative Consultation Support System Program (CCSSP) which was developed to provide support to public schools in need of assistance. The school in which the program was established consisted of students who were mostly from poor and culturally diverse families. For the purpose of improving instruction, 18…

THE PROBLEMS OF RURAL SCHOOLS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY--AN INABILITY TO HIRE ENOUGH WELL-PREPARED, VERSATILE, AND RESOURCEFUL TEACHERS AND TO RETAIN THEM OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS TO ASSURE PROGRAM CONTINUITY, INADEQUATE CURRICULUM OFFERINGS AND EQUIPPED CLASSROOM SPACE, DECREASING ENROLLMENT, LACK OF RECOGNITION AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO TEACHERS ALREADY ON…

THE PLANNING PHASE OF A COOPERATIVE PROJECT OF THE QUEENS COLLEGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND A DISADVANTAGED QUEENS PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS EVALUATED. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT WERE TO PROVIDE (1) UNDERGRADUATE AND PRETENURE TEACHER TRAINING FOR POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP ROLES IN DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS, (2) A PROTOTYPAL EDUCATIONAL FACILITY, AND (3) AN UPGRADED…