Volume 2 Issue 2 (Fall 2003)
Reforming Urban Schools: The Philadelphia Story
School Reform on the Inside: Teacher Agency at one Philadelphia Middle School
Few educators would deny that school reform is complex business, especially in large urban districts like Philadelphia. On many levels, diverse voices compete to forward particular visions of improved schooling; true, in every wave of reform, some calls for change are heard louder than others. In the current political climate, calls for accountability and standards have received the lion's share of attention.
The Evolution of Reform: Studying "Community Partnerships" in Philadelphia
The privatization of public schools in Philadelphia has generated a great deal of controversy both in the city and across the country. Researchers interested in understanding this latest wave of reform have already begun documenting and analyzing the implementation of privatization, the simultaneous recentralization, and the community's response to both processes.
Philadelphia School Reform: Historical Roots and Reflections on the 2002-2003 School Year Under State Takeover A talk initially presented at The Friends Association of Higher Education and Friends Council on Education Conference at Swarthmore College and
On Friday, June 20, 2003, the New York Times reported that, "This was the year that school reform began in Philadelphia.
Are these the District's 'lowest performing schools?' There are many problems with the label used to describe 86 schools now targeted for reform
In October 2001, when former Governor Mark Schweiker announced plans for taking over management of schools in Philadelphia, he promised that dramatic intervention would take place at the District's "60 lowest performing schools."
Analysis: do Philadelphians still have a voice at the School District? Understanding the state takeover of Philadelphia's schools
On December 23, 2001, Philadelphians awoke to the startling news that their schools were now -- as the Philadelphia Inquirer put it -- "the property and problem of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
Principals offer mixed perspectives on first year of takeover Supports and challenges in the multiple provider model
"Overwhelming"... "A new start"... "Exciting, but I've never been so tired."
Teacher turnover high at the 'takeover schools' External managers struggle with staffing instability
Teacher turnover increased between June and September 2002 at most of the schools in Philadelphia that were assigned to external managers or subject to special intervention.
"The great invention of the world:" Review of two books about writing
Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Our Schools
National Writing Project with Carl Nagin
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003
Dennis Shirley. (1997). Community Organizing for Urban School Reform. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. 352 pp.
Recently, a rather unconventional approach to school reform has captured the attention of many interested in public education. The movement originated in the unlikely state of Texas, which has otherwise had a rather undistinguished past with regard to education. Texas's ongoing reform experiment reflects the revolutionary partnership between influential community organizations and local schools united to transform the nature of school reform.
Two Perspectives on Thirteen a film by Catherine Hardwicke, co-written with Nikki Reed
Two Perspectives on Thirteen
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Reflections on Race in Thirteen Jeffrey M. Hornstein |
Contributions, Controversies, and Criticisms: In Memory of John U. Ogbu (1939-2003)
The field of urban education suffered a great loss on August 20, 2003, when John Ogbu passed away due to complications from spinal surgery. Although his ideas on the academic achievement and motivation of minority groups-particularly African Americans-were highly controversial and drew much criticism, there is no denying the tremendous impact that Ogbu had on educational research.