Urban+Funding+and+School+Reform

The following is a list of sources pertaining to US Urban Education Reform that I found to be engaging, informative, and just as specific or general as wanted for a base understanding.

1.) WWC Library, Scholarly Journals. EBSCO Research Databases; Political Science Quarterly

//Urban Education Reform and Minority Political Empowerment//

Chambers, S (2003).Urban Education Reform and Minority Political Empowerment. //Political Science Quarterly//. //117//, 683. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=8980734&site=ehost-live

Stephanie Chambers researched and conducted community surveys on Chicago’s opposing reforms of 1988 and 1995. The article discusses the level of racial minorities’ role in the education system under these two schools of theory. A typical school system has a School Board in charge of system affairs with several nominees voted for in a local election. The 1988 reform gave the community complete control of the school board, while the 1995 reform decreed that the mayor appoint school board members. This article was written as a response to the current temptation to give mayors unchecked control of the school board for the purpose of improved budget expenditures and unsatisfactory standardized testing results.

This fascinating case-study not only gives a specific and current example of urban education reform, but exposes the reader to two types of reform, with their potential pros and cons, that strongly oppose one another.

2.) WWC Library, Scholarly Journals. EBSCO Research Databases

"Keeping Policy Churn Off the Agenda: // Urban // // Education // and Civic Capacity "

Marschall, M, & Shah, P (2005). Keeping Policy churn Off the Agenda: Urban Education and Civic Capacity. //Policy Studies Journal//. //33//, 161-180.

This article provides great insight into one of the most plaguing and limiting issues in urban education reform: policy churn. Due to the divided interest of parties involved in the education system (ie: parents, teacher unions, business shareholders and politicians) there is little consensus, and therefore success, on any posed reforms. The reforms that are implemented rarely stick around and the success stories to base plans are virtually nonexistent. The leaders in a school system are traditionally the superintendent and the mayor. As the superintendent’s role has greatly declined, many of the US’s largest cities are seeking more consistency and long-term reform in mayoral positions.

The use of comparative data across eleven major US cities allows for a concrete view of the factors influencing civic capacity. The article is both comprehensive and engaging to those familiar with the topic, but also broken down for a less familiar audience. Even if the reader is uninterested in exploring their theories, it provides a great overview of the mechanics of urban education policy.

3.) Net Library, E-books.

//It Takes A City: Getting Serious About Urban School Reform// Chapter four, pages 70-84.

Hill, P, Campbell, C, & Harvey, J (2000). //It Takes a City: Getting Serious About Urban Education Reform//. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

This article summarizes three current philosophies of urban education reform: CEO-Strong Schools, Diverse Providers, and Community Partnerships. The CEO-Strong Schools put funding and control into the hands of a superintendent who can open and close schools and controls all funding, hiring, and regulations. Diverse Providers allow schools to operate independently and use the district as a resource for materials or teacher training and parents can choose schools within the system. Community Partnerships operates under per-pupil pay and students may attend any school, including private facilities, with a city voucher and schools run independently but with a great emphasis on non-school learning facilities and donated resources.

This selection offers handy charts and graphs while expanding upon the circumstances in a city’s history that may or may not allow for certain forms of reformation to be accomplished.

4.) Net Library, E-books.

//** Reinterpreting ** Urban ** School ** Reform ** : Have ** Urban ** Schools Failed, or Has the ** Reform ** Movement Failed ** Urban // ** //Schools?// Introduction, pages 1-13 **

Miron, L, & St. John, E (2003). //Reinterpreting Urban School Reform: Have Urban Schools Failed, or Has the Reform Movement Failed Urban Schools?// .New York: Albany State University of New York.


 * The introduction provides a brief history of the urban education reform movement of the past fifty years, or since desegregation. It provides some information on all of the topics discussed, in order, much like an annotated outline. The text overviews the court system and its relationship with education, government or external reforms, independent research-based reforms, community-based reforms, and a critical-empirical review of the information presented. **
 * This is an ideal introduction to urban education reform, particularly in understanding the racial economics. The information is thorough, clear, and without jargon. **