Commissioned by the College Board's National Task Force on Minority High Achievement, this report documents recent national progress in advancing the achievements of elementary-aged minority children, the potential for replicable whole-school reform designs to contribute to this advancement, and the individual, classroom, and school…

[New England Resource Center for Higher Education's] NERCHE's think tank members recently participated in a discussion of the competitive forces driving change in higher education. The discussion, facilitated by The Futures Project: Policy for Higher Education in a Changing World (www.futuresproject.org), revealed tremendous concern among faculty…

Examines a visual art program for at-risk students that attempts to increase self-esteem, stimulate inquiry, and develop critical thinking through art criticism and self- expression. Summarizes the responses of 11 at-risk students and 35 general education college students to the question, "What is art?" (MJP)

The socioeconomic status of Canadian native students may be more important than cultural differences when explaining their high dropout rate. Disadvantaged native and nonnative students share many experiences that isolate them from the mainstream school culture, including placement of disadvantaged students into lower-track courses and…

Proposed federal fiscal 1998 budget allocations are presented, including general changes in Education Department and other agency appropriations from the previous year and dollar amounts of appropriations for student assistance, graduate support, institutional assistance, aid to the disadvantaged, educational research and statistics, aid to…

Based on the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach, the Content Area Program Enhancement (CAPE) model fosters a collaborative environment among teachers and administrators to improve achievement for English language learners. In three predominantly Hispanic middle schools in south Texas, CAPE improved reading and mathematics scores for all…

Questions the theory of counter selection which holds that quotas implemented after the Communist seizure of power in Hungary reduced educational inequalities based on class of origin. Maintains that social status and class-based inequalities were reproduced through the efforts of cadre administrators and professionals. (MJP)

Quantified ethnic elementary school student underachievement data in the compulsory subjects of mathematics, science, and English, with a focus on Black and African Caribbean students. Negative influences to academic achievement in the school environment, including student-teacher relationships and lack of parental involvement, are discussed. The…

Discusses a case study approach to internationalizing an undergraduate interdisciplinary sociology course that explores the sources and consequences of inequality. Presents three case studies from Baltimore (Maryland), Japan, and Zimbabwe, each one detailing social and economic causes of inequality. Briefly covers class assignments and a…

The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education, funded by state and private sources, is an ambitious, large-scale, long-term effort to prevent dropouts, illegal drug use, and pregnancy among low-income and minority groups. Recruitment of volunteer "mentors" has been highly successful, suggesting strong public support. (MSE)

The use of crack during pregnancy is producing tens of thousands of blameless children each year who, by biology and environment, are impaired. Describes the effects of crack on children and what can be done for crack-smoking mothers-to-be. Offers suggestions to school boards for providing a structured supportive learning environment for these…

Reveals that, among a low-income Latino population, parents who participate in school choice programs share significant characteristics. These include mother's education, high parental involvement, and higher education expectations. Characteristics remained the same for parents choosing private or public schools. (MJP)

Literature is reviewed on the effects of genetic and environmental contributions to children's intellectual functioning and the effects of preventive intervention on intellectual outcomes for high-risk children. Longitudinal case studies of two socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers with cognitive deficits are examined, along with interventions…

A unique, successful staff development program in three Louisville (Kentucky) middle schools provides opportunities for teachers of disadvantaged students to build pedagogical skills. The High5 Project promotes strategies for realizing high expectations, content, support, energy, and involvement. The paper examines change strategies and discusses…

It is hypocritical to oppose black immersion schools (BISs) as resegregationist. BISs are a solution to urban school problems proposed in areas where integration has failed. BISs are a reaction to that failure, not a cause of it. To succeed, BISs must address issues of social and economic justice. (SLD)