Can public schools in America be saved? This book considers theory, current practice, and the common school ideal through a historical lens to arrive at practical suggestions for reforming contemporary public education. Despite dramatic, sweeping changes in recent decades, a strong case can be made for guiding the reformation of contemporary public education in the United States on common school ideology of the nineteenth century. The author argues that the common school remains a public institution capable of preparing America's youth to contribute to the community in a positive manner, and that education must be treated at a public good where all children-regardless of social class-have a right to a quality education. The work includes a thorough overview of Horace Mann's writings on K-12 public education that support the common school ideal-concepts that are over 150 years old, yet still highly relevant today. Presents information on a topic of paramount importance, as almost 90 percent of American children in grades K-12 attend public schools Provides a thorough analysis of the writings of Horace Mann, the education reformer largely credited with helping to create the common school in the 19th century Merges theory and practice, analyzing the common school ideal in a historical sense while also presenting ways to reform contemporary public education

Calling for increased civic engagement, this book makes a compelling case for reforms that will democratize American elections and provide more power to the people. Quick-fix plans to "restore democracy" are a dime a dozen. Happily, Reforming the Electoral Process in America: Toward More Democracy in the 21st Century offers a more nuanced approach, emphasizing the value of civic engagement in a democratic society. Author Brian L. Fife situates our current plight in the context of the growth of democracy, from the Founding Fathers through the Jackson era, the enfranchisement of blacks after the Civil War, women's suffrage, and the Voting Rights Act of the 1960s. He reflects on the work of the Framers as it pertains to voting and elections, compares voting laws and voter turnout in the various states, and offers an analysis of the impact of money in American elections. Ultimately, Fife proposes a blueprint for reform that includes national same-day voter registration, elimination of punch card and mechanical voting machines, reconsideration of felons' voting rights, regional primaries, and the abolition of the Electoral College.

As the 2000 presidential election suggests, the particular type of voting system employed in a given venue can impact the outcome of elections, not only within an individual state, but, as Fyfe and Miller explore, across the states as well. Yet the scholarly community has paid little attention to the nature and impact of voting systems on electoral outcomes to date. Using Elazar's model of political culture in the American states as a logistical framework on which to build analysis of these voting systems, they indicate that culture is a fundamental variable to consider when attempting to ascertain variances between and among the states. This study will be of particular interest to scholars, students, and other researchers involved with American elections and contemporary politics and voting policy.

This book explores the state of higher education at century's end and the challenges awaiting it in the next millennium. It assesses changes in the student population, the role of faculty, spending patterns, government support, the role of intercollegiate athletics, the nature of presidential leadership, and the impact of technological change. This volume is a call to educators, parents, and taxpayers alike to enter into a dialogue about the future directions of higher education that they are willing to support.

Because in the last few decades higher education has attempted to extend both its reach and scope despite the finite nature of resources at its disposal, the new millennium will mark a time when colleges and universities must clearly delimit and prioritize their goals. This volume is a call to educators, parents, and taxpayers alike to enter into a dialogue about the future directions of higher education that they are willing to support.

The role of higher education in a high-tech, interdependent world economy has never been more important than it is today. Yet, never before has its future been so cloudy. Changes in the nature of the student population, tuition increases that consistently outpace the cost of living, increasing conflict between faculty and administration personnel, attacks on tenure, the professionalization of collegiate sports, and political attacks and threats to state funding are all transforming an institution in ways that are, as yet, uncertain at best. This volume reviews the source and impact of change on today's colleges and universities. Leading scholars contribute chapters on specific aspects of collegiate life and the way internal and external forces are changing the scope and function of higher education.

This study examines the question of which type of desegregation plan most effectively reduces segregation in American public schools. It departs from previous research in that the author does not categorize desegregation plans simply as mandatory or voluntary; rather, he creates a choice-coercion continuum to account for more of the variation between diverse desegregation orders that have been implemented in urban America. The issue of measuring segregation is also addressed in a new way by Fife, who concludes that mandated desegregation techniques reduce the level of segregation to a greater degree than less coercive plans.

This work is interdisciplinary and will be useful to scholars in political science, public policy, public administration, sociology, and education. It will also be of interest to education policymakers and administrators as it illustrates how applied public policy analysis can address issues and enhance decision-making processes.

While there are a number of survey textbooks in American politics, Citizenship in the American Republic is based on a fundamental premise that many have contended for the last century--a more informed, participatory citizenry is required for a more effective democratic republic. Fife provides a resource for young people, as well as older Americans, who can use the information provided to enhance their capacity to be good citizens in their own democratic system. He accentuates the knowledge that Americans need to be good citizens; as such, the book occupies a unique niche among textbooks in American politics. For those who need a fairly brief, yet concise guide to American politics, Citizenship in the American Republic is ideal. Fife carefully explains the material and how citizens can use the information to create a more effective democracy. Unlike other textbooks in American politics, the book includes two unique sections designed to emphasize the importance of effective citizenship in the United States: "The Importance of Citizenship in a Republic" and "Knowledge Matters." In so doing, he has provided a text that not only includes concrete factual information about the many features of American politics, but promotes the fundamental premise that citizens are absolutely essential components of a more healthy and vibrant American democracy.

Applying lessons from history to the reality of poverty today in the United States—the most affluent country in the world—this book analyzes contributing factors to poverty and proposes steps to relieve people affected by it. American history is replete with efforts to alleviate poverty. While some efforts have resulted in at least partial success, others have not, because poverty is a multifaceted, complicated phenomenon with no simple solution. Winning the War on Poverty studies the history of poverty relief efforts in the United States dating to the nineteenth century, debunking misperceptions about the poor and tackling the problem of the ever-widening gap between the rich and poor. It highlights the ideological differences between liberal and conservative beliefs and includes insights drawn from a well-rounded group of disciplines including political science, history, sociology, economics, and public health. Premised on the idea that only the lessons of history can help policymakers to recognize that the United States has a persistent poverty problem that is much worse than it is in many other democracies, the book suggests an 18-point plan to substantively address this dilemma. Its vision for reform does not pander to any particular ideology or political party; rather, the objective of this book is to explain how the United States can win the war on poverty in the short term.