Suchergebnisse

Nearly every effort to reform American public education during the past half-century has involved the law. Partnerships and tensions between lawyers, educators, parents, and scholars have never been more central to the future shape and direction of our schools. This powerful book examines six of the most important and controversial school reform initiatives: school desegregation, school finance reform, special education, education of immigrant children, integration of youth services, and enforceable performance mandates. The contributors-leading authorities in the fields of education and law-examine these reform efforts from the perspectives of law, education, research, and practice. The authors trace the evolution of these reform strategies over time. They also explore ways in which lawyers, educators, scholars, and parents, through improved collaboration, and promising new approaches, can promote school reform and educational equity more effectively in the future.Assuming no special background, this engaging and accessible book has been written for educators, lawyers, policymakers, parents, and all readers concerned with education in America.Contributors to this volume:Jay P. Heubert; Gary Orfield; Molly McUsic; Carola and Marcelo Suarez-Orozco; Peter Roos; Thomas Hehir; Sue Gamm; Martin Gerry; Paul Weckstein

In the pursuit of a first-rate education for all students, America's public schools have struggled to achieve fuller racial integration and higher academic standards. Yet sharp inequities between prosperous school districts and poorer districts remain, reinforced by traditional ways of funding and administering public education. This book brings together cutting-edge ideas and strategies of prominent advocates of school equity reform. Discussing their first-hand experiences in forming coalitions, framing court cases, and dealing with state politics in New Jersey, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, Kentucky, and Washington, the contributors consider what succeeded, and what failed, in the search for financial and legal remedies to educational inequity.The varied case studies of this book underscore the importance of a comprehensive approach-combining finance, restructuring, and governance reforms-for the success of a city or state school reform effort. The authors investigate how state constitutions have been used to challenge a state's financial distribution of school aid, how business and community organizations have engaged in reform efforts, and how others have negotiated legislation to achieve change. This discussion of reform strategies will interest not only those who are concerned with excellence and equity in education but also those who wish to form successful coalitions and challenge existing state policies