High school academies are three-year programs offering educationally disadvantaged students an integrated academic and vocational education, extensive counseling and peer support, and employment opportunities. These models to combat dropping out and facilitate transition from school to work are joint efforts of school districts, local businesses,…

Founded in 1968, the Transitional Year Program at Brandeis University (Massachusetts) continues to offer intensive remedial math and English for students who might not be admitted to college otherwise. The tuition-free program has been highly successful in turning mediocre high school performance into college achievement. Most participants are…

After discussing the poor quality of classroom instruction for at-risk urban students, the paper examines risks associated with failure, current instructional practices in poor urban schools, and instructional approaches that have improved the education of at-risk students (critical/responsive teaching, cognitively-guided instruction, and…

Reports the differences found in intellectual achievement responsibility, attitude toward school, and self-esteem of black male elementary school students attending the Milwaukee African American Immersion Academy compared to those attending a traditional Milwaukee school. It was determined that Immersion Academy children performed better than…

Argues that nonmainstream (nonwhite and nonmiddle class) students do not perform as well in school as do mainstream students because they are not equitably served by the educational system. Equity issues in the literacy education of minorities are explored, examining student characteristics, sociocultural factors, language issues, and…

Looks at the current plight of the African-American male, exploring the role of the dominant culture, mass media, and low self-esteem. Describes a possible cure, citing five areas for action, calling for year-round school in some urban areas, exploring Afrocentric curricula, and considering rites of passage programs. (JB)

The characteristics of migrant students that place them at risk educationally are described and reasons for low special education delivery rates are examined. Guidelines for educational intervention are offered, with the goal of increasing migrant children's economic options and opportunities. Three methodologies are recommended: learning…

Although every school must develop its own dropout prevention programs, the framework for multifaceted solutions can be similar, involving a systemic approach consisting of the following: (1) identification and intervention policies; (2) interventions by educational leaders, teachers, and parents; (3) academic and support programs; and (4)…

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)

Describes positive results coming from Trinity University's active support of educational reform efforts at Hawthorne Elementary School (Houston, Texas). Trinity's teacher education agenda focused on preparing teachers for the real world of the elementary school and pursuing a teacher-selected school reform project. (GR)

Provides an evaluator's view of the quantitative effects of the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-based K-6 curriculum model, and other reforms at Hawthorne Elementary School (Houston, Texas). Pretest and posttest results show increased academic performance in reading, writing, and mathematics, based on Texas Assessment of Academic Skills…

Presents an in-depth portrait of the British government's educational policy in the Bechuanaland protectorate. The government systematized the primary school syllabus, regularized payment and training of teachers, and established cattle post schools. However, blatant discrimination favored support of European schools over African and little…

Evaluation of high stakes testing regimes must consider not simply mean test scores, but their distribution among students. Taking high school graduation tests and black and white student populations to illustrate the argument, I identify two criteria of success: a larger proportion of black high school graduates and a narrower gap between the two…

Mentoring has a mystique that only good can come from it, that at the worst, mentoring programs will not accomplish all that they could, but the youth served will at least be better for the experience. Both impact and process evaluations are needed to answer questions about the real benefits and any potential adverse effects of mentoring. The…

Mentoring is now a very popular, but loosely defined, feature of many programs for youth. The heart of mentoring is the relationship between the youth and the mentor, but little is actually known about this relationship. Mentoring should not be limited to at-risk youth, since many average students or underachievers from stable backgrounds may…