As culturally-diverse students feel trapped in failing public schools and abandoned by the system school choice offers a way out and a way up for students who have not succeeded in existing public schools. Many of the intractable problems that plague culturally diverse students are deeply rooted in the poverty, unemployment, crime, racism, and cultural differences that pervade the neighborhoods around them. Educators who work in our nation's schools represent the conscience of a society because they shape the conditions under which future generations learn about themselves and their relationships to others in the world. Educators, families and community members need to reinvigorate the language, social relations, and politics of schooling. We need to address the issues of school culture, poverty and violence. We need to look at new and future trends in education. Our goal is to achieve results. Parents, teachers and students must come together to make a difference. Ideas and people can change the course of history.

It has become a cliche to say that these are precarious times for public schools. It is also a reality. On the one hand, improving schools is the public's top priority. On the other, significant numbers of Americans are giving up on public schools. Today's parents and, indeed, all voters, need to see signs of success if they are to support public schools. Parents must be given choices when it comes to their child's education. This book acknowledges that enormous problems outside schools do not mean that educators inside schools cannot do a better job at creating a meaningful learning environment. It is designed to inform and assist those who wish to choose their child's educational settings. The Hows and Whys of Alternative Education offers the essential information on the history of alternative education, school choice, alternative schools, charter schools, magnet schools, homeschooling, private schools, vouchers, distance learning, teacher/student/parent attraction, and the future of educational choice.

The accelerating demographic and economic changes within our society, the deepening racial divide, and the elusive quest for equality and justice make multicultural education and understanding the culturally diverse student imperative in the 21st century. The gap between the rich and poor has widened, and visible signs of the racial crisis have become stark. Racial Bias in the Classroom: Can Teachers Reach All Children? includes a history of multicultural America and features discussions on the issues and perspectives of multicultural curriculum, language diversity, and proven teaching strategies invaluable for all teachers, parents, and students.

America s educational system is in crisis. Test scores show us that students across America are performing at levels far below their peers overseas. In addition, graduation rates are shamefully low. There is no doubt that America s students deserve better. In a rapidly changing world, our students are not being taught the basic knowledge and skills they need to succeed. It s time for educators, representing the conscience of society, along with parents and community members to get to the root of the problem. By addressing the current issues that contemporary school systems face -- including teacher unions, school reforms, the U.S. Department of Education, technology, NCLB, teachers under scrutiny, teacher tenure, boosting parent engagement, failing schools, and the realities of what works and what doesn t in the charter school realm -- Rebuilding Schools for Students: Let the Change Begin serves to promote change by taking risks and achieving results. Educators should address schools in crisis, develop strategies to go from failure to success, and find common ground. Our students deserve the best.

America s educational system is in crisis. Test scores show us that students across America are performing at levels far below their peers overseas. In addition, graduation rates are shamefully low. There is no doubt that America s students deserve better. In a rapidly changing world, our students are not being taught the basic knowledge and skills they need to succeed. It s time for educators, representing the conscience of society, along with parents and community members to get to the root of the problem. By addressing the current issues that contemporary school systems face -- including teacher unions, school reforms, the U.S. Department of Education, technology, NCLB, teachers under scrutiny, teacher tenure, boosting parent engagement, failing schools, and the realities of what works and what doesn t in the charter school realm -- Rebuilding Schools for Students: Let the Change Begin serves to promote change by taking risks and achieving results. Educators should address schools in crisis, develop strategies to go from failure to success, and find common ground. Our students deserve the best."

As culturally-diverse students feel trapped in failing public schools and abandoned by the system school choice offers a way out and a way up for students who have not succeeded in existing public schools. Many of the intractable problems that plague culturally diverse students are deeply rooted in the poverty, unemployment, crime, racism, and cultural differences that pervade the neighborhoods around them. Educators who work in our nation's schools represent the conscience of a society because they shape the conditions under which future generations learn about themselves and their relationships to others in the world. Educators, families and community members need to reinvigorate the language, social relations, and politics of schooling. We need to address the issues of school culture, poverty and violence. We need to look at new and future trends in education. Our goal is to achieve results. Parents, teachers and students must come together to make a difference. Ideas and people can change the course of history.

Public education in the United States does not fulfill either the educational needs or the social needs of children. Its deficiencies have serious negative consequences in our political system, our economy, and within our social and cultural affairs. We must seek to improve education through research, policy analysis, and the development of alternatives to existing policies and practices. Educational reform should include promoting greater parental choice in education, a competitive educational industry, and other policies that address the problems of both public and private schools. The ultimate goal is improved student achievement, especially in our nation's cities, where large numbers of students, are not reaching the levels of achievement they need in order to live successful lives as adults. This book explores some of the unique characteristics of school reform and focuses on the role of poverty in reform, including the negative effects of low-income neighborhoods on the youth who reside there, concluding that reducing poverty can lead to more positive academic behavior and success. Reform Can Make a Difference enables readers to look at different reform programs that are available for schools and determine which model, if any, will fit their needs. The book assists schools in designing their own reform model that will help address issues students and families have with public schools.

It has become a clichZ to say that these are precarious times for public schools. It is also a reality. On the one hand, improving schools is the public's top priority. On the other, significant numbers of Americans are giving up on public schools. Today's parents and, indeed, all voters, need to see signs of success if they are to support public schools. Parents must be given choices when it comes to their child's education. This book acknowledges that enormous problems outside schools do not mean that educators inside schools cannot do a better job at creating a meaningful learning environment. It is designed to inform and assist those who wish to choose their child's educational settings. The Hows and Whys of Alternative Education offers the essential information on the history of alternative education, school choice, alternative schools, charter schools, magnet schools, homeschooling, private schools, vouchers, distance learning, teacher/student/parent attraction, and the future of educational choice.

The accelerating demographic and economic changes within our society, the deepening racial divide, and the elusive quest for equality and justice make multicultural education and understanding the culturally diverse student imperative in the 21st century. The gap between the rich and poor has widened, and visible signs of the racial crisis have become stark. Racial Bias in the Classroom: Can Teachers Reach All Children? includes a history of multicultural America and features discussions on the issues and perspectives of multicultural curriculum, language diversity, and proven teaching strategies invaluable for all teachers, parents, and students.

Has your school survived a major initiative only to be ambushed by another theory that demands that you rush full speed in the opposite direction? Have you been told that the fate of education depends on "the search for excellence," "equality," or assessment? Is your dream of the day that the consultants will go away and let you get back to work? The irony is that some of the management ideas and prescriptions really can reverse or renovate your school. The key is to determine which ideas belong in your hot file and which in your circular file. In Managers Make the Difference, author Darlene Leiding acknowledges that enormous problems outside schools do not mean that educators inside schools cannot do a better job at managing the learning environment. She designed the book to inform and assist those who wish to redefine problems so they can be solved. You will learn how to use creative problem solving to move from a challenge to creative action. Management can help schools learn how to minimize duplication and increase accountability. With this book, Leiding delivers practical methods you can immediately apply to help you become more creative and to nurture the creativity in the people who work for you. Issues include: Energy savings, The new accountability, Good board/bad board, Standards for school leaders, Staying afloat, Angry parents, Who is teaching our children, and The monster media. In today's educational world we need to achieve significant results at a much faster pace than at any other time in history. Managers, as well as parents, teachers, and students must come together to make a difference.