Many people are paying lip service to the idea of improving educationlargely through reliance on empty rhetorical phrases, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Bainbridge suggest. But few are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to truly improve educational opportunities for every student in the U.S.
Education is being transformed at a rapid pace because of a variety of political and social forces. One of those forces is an increased emphasis on market-based policy and practice. School reform advocates in general and political conservatives in particular see the market approach as one that can and will positively affect educational practices. Ridenour, Lasley, and Bainbridge examine the efficacy of the market approach as it has been evidenced in the development of charter schools and choice options. The authors conclude that the rate of change needs to be managed to protect students and that strategic partnerships must be created to ensure more collaboration between those with conflicting views. Whereas business benefits from competition, education requires a type of “coop-petition” to ensure that all students are provided an adequate education.
The authors address the complex issue of how to improve urban schools. Policy makers have endeavored to use a variety of solutions to help address the problems confronting America's urban schools. The authors outline some of the panaceas and then proffer 14 strategies that urban educators can consider as they seek to deal with the unique problems confronting the young people they educate. Some of the authors' recommendations require little or no cost, whereas others would entail funding obligations. All of the solutions are ones that have considerable research support and offer significant opportunity for success.
The achievement gap persists within American classrooms. Although teachers do make a difference in terms of what and how much students achieve, educational practitioners and policy makers would be well served to consider social inequities created by demographic realities, instructional practices that engender broad student participation, and accountability measures that compare districts fairly.
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