Goals 2000: Educate America Act

This book examines historical approaches and current research and practice related to the education of adolescents placed at risk of school failure as a result of social and economic conditions. One major goal is to expand the intellectual exchange among researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and concerned citizens on factors influencing the achievement of poor and minority youth, specifically students in middle and high schools. Another is to encourage increased dialogue about policies and practices that can make a difference in educational opportunities and outcomes for these students. Although the chapters in this volume are not exhaustive, they represent an array of theoretical and methodological approaches that provide readers with new and diverse ways to think about issues of educational equality and opportunity in the United States. A premise that runs through each chapter is that school success is possible for poor and minority adolescents if adequate support from the school, family, and community is available. *The conceptual approach (Section I) places the research and practice on students placed at risk in a historical context and sets the stage for an important reframing of current definitions, research, policies, and practices aimed at this population. *Multiple research methodologies (Sections II and III) allow for comparisons across racial and ethnic groups as well as within groups, and contribute to different and complementary insights. Section III, "Focus on African-American Students," specifically addresses gender and social class differences among African-American adolescents. *Current reform strategies presently being implemented in schools throughout the United States are presented and discussed (Part IV). These strategies or programs highlight how schools, families, and communities can apply research findings like the ones this book presents, thus bridging the often wide gap between social science research and educational practice.

In Political Agendas for Education: From the Religious Right to the Green Party, Second Edition, Joel Spring describes and analyzes the current educational agendas of major political players and organizations. His analyses of the interrelationships between right-wing think tanks and school reform, and the political background of proposals for school change, are unique among books dealing with the politics of education. This second edition covers the changes that occurred during the 2000 presidential election that led to the inauguration of George W. Bush. In a lively, anecdotal style, Spring portrays the underlying ideologies, as well as the nitty-gritty, day-to-day doings of the various players involved. The players range from the Evangelical Christians, the conservative think tanks, and the Bush Republicans--with their ideology of "compassionate conservatism"--to the arenas of centrist and leftist politics, spanning the New Democrats, the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and the Green Party under the leadership of Ralph Nader. Additions and updates to the Second Edition include: *Compassionate Conservatives: The Republican Educational Agenda for the 21st Century *The Meaning of "Compassionate Conservatism" *Evolution Versus Creationism *The Manhattan Institute and George W. Bush's Educational Policies *The Republican Agenda for the 21st Century *Gore and the 2000 Presidential Campaign *What's Left of the Left? Ralph Nader and the Green Party *Ralph Nader, Consumerism, and Education Political Agendas for Education is of broad interest to educational scholars, professionals, and policymakers, and highly appropriate as a text for courses on the politics of education, foundations of education, sociology of education, and curriculum theory.

Textbook anthology for social foundations and curriculum theory courses situates issues of education in the critical context of the major political, economic, cultural, and environmental crisis of the U.S. and the global community; provides a focus and conceptual framework for thinking about these issues.