The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the reasons why successful mathematics students have been able to thrive in schools labeled academically unacceptable and (2) why they have chosen to stay in these academically unacceptable schools despite having the option to leave for a better performing school. Qualitative methods including…

This paper draws on qualitative research in mountainous, rural areas of Tajikistan to reveal the complex and contradictory effects of the Soviet collapse on the life and work of teachers. While within the former USSR, Tajikistan experienced comparative modernization, but the Soviet collapse and 6 years of civil war left the republic with a ruined…

Based on the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recent report, this article provides the foundation for state accountability systems that focus on improvement. Contains NASBE's proposed Public Policy Position on Low Performing Schools. (Contains 14 references.) (Author/MLF)

Since 1984, a dynamic headmaster has transformed economically disadvantaged Bhekuzulu High School into the best Black school in South Africa, using educational strategies that raise academic standards, emphasize pride in Zulu identity, teach about apartheid and students' role in its destruction, and adapt educational technology to Zulu…

Issues facing historically disadvantaged universities in South Africa are examined, focusing on their impact on the cognitive development of students. It is concluded that students' cognitive development is a strategic matter, requiring the coherent effort of a whole institution rather than being the exclusive province of any specialized units.…

Because computers potentially transform pedagogy, much has been made of their ability to impact positively on student performance, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and science. However, there is currently a dearth of research regarding exactly how the computer acts as a transformative tool in disadvantaged schools. Drawing on a…

Since the mid-1990s, government policies in the USA, Canada, England, and Australia have promoted the need to produce an ICT skilled workforce in order to ensure national competitiveness in globalised economic conditions. In this article, we examine the ways in which these policy intentions in 1 state in Australia were translated into a…

Improving high school graduation rates has in recent years become a growing concern to state and local policymakers for a number of reasons: the reduced economic opportunities and increased social costs for individuals without a high school diploma; the economic consequences, such as reduced tax revenues; and the need for more college graduates.…

An understanding of state accountability systems is critical in the discussion of educational reform. Clear and complete definitions of expectations for learners are needed before conducting educational assessments. This document describes findings of a study that examined six state accountability systems, with a focus on how they impacted…

When New Jersey passed the Quality Education Act to equalize expenditures between rich and poor school districts, it added a level of regulatory oversight to the "special needs districts," the 30 poorest districts in the state. This paper describes that oversight system and the additional paperwork burdens it created for those districts.…

A survey of 772 high school seniors in 18 economically disadvantaged rural Vermont public high schools examined differences between students who planned to attend a 4-year college or university and those who did not. The survey instrument consisted of 105 statements pertaining to personal background and demographic data, locus of control,…

The present discussion develops the thesis that social and economic changes since the 1940s have produced educational problems requiring a new approach to school management. First, a brief overview is provided of social and economic changes prior to and after the 1940s, showing how such changes have affected the daily experience of individuals and…

The Shongololo project of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture in South Africa aims to endorse the notion that a school can quite effectively cross the digital divide with a single online computer that is accessible to both learners and educators and which is managed by an enthusiastic and committed information…

PROJECT "TEACH" WAS ESTABLISHED TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF TEACHERS OF THE DISADVANTAGED. IN THE AREA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, SEVERAL GOALS WERE SET AND MET. (1) PROFESSORS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION WERE ASSISTED IN CHANGING CURRICULUM AND INCREASING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURE OF POVERTY BY INSTITUTING ON-SITE COURSES IN METHODS…

This conference synopsis presents the views of educators, researchers, and a journalist who maintain that inner city schools are effective, and can be more so, in educating disadvantaged students. The claim that inner city schools cannot overcome deficits in family background unless students' socioeconomic position is first improved is challenged.…