Schooling Disadvantaged Children: Racing against Catastrophe.

This volume assesses the current status of children in American society and offers a set of policy recommendations for addressing their educational needs. The authors begin by describing the various definitions of disadvantaged used by researchers and policy makers, linking these definitions to the strategies and policies they imply in efforts to address the problems of the disadvantaged. Part 1 also includes a sociodemographic profile of the and a projection of changes in that population over the next 35 years. Part 2 is a comprehensive review and evaluation of compensatory education efforts (preschool, elementary, and secondary) over the past 25 years. In addition to this, this section provides an interpretive framework for analysis that groups programmes in to useful categories and summarizes the features of successful programmes. In Part 3 the authors describe the types of data (at levels ranging from classroom to national) needed by policy makers and practitioners to ameliorate the conditions of the disadvantaged. They also propose a theory-based approach to restructuring schools to make them more responsive to students. The authors conclude by developing the policy implications of the current and future conditions of studies in US schools. Their reflective analysis aims to provide a solid basis for all future discussion and debate of issues surrounding the education of children. This volume should be an important resource for policy makers, researchers and administrators in education. It may also be of value for courses in the sociology of education, educational policy, urban education and educational administration.