AS GOOD AS IT GETS by Larry Cuban ( 9780674035546 ) - Books & Audio Books at Pickabook.co.uk

Item Details

Title:

AS GOOD AS IT GETS
WHAT SCHOOL REFORM BROUGHT TO AUSTIN

By:

Larry Cuban

Format:

Hardback

List price:

£35.95

Our price:

£28.04

Discount:

22% off

You save:

£7.91

ISBN 10:

0674035542

ISBN 13:

9780674035546

Availability:

Usually dispatched within 1-3 weeks.

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Stock:

Currently 0 available

Publisher:

HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Pub. date:

16 February, 2010

Pages:

304

Description:

Presents the history of the Austin, Texas, school district, under Superintendent Pat Forgione and asks the question that few politicians and school reformers want to touch. This title argues that the overall district has shown much improvement but the improvements are unevenly distributed.

Synopsis:

Take an economically and racially diverse urban school district emerging from a long history of segregation. Add an energetic, capable, bridge-building superintendent with ambitious district-wide goals to improve graduation rates, school attendance, and academic performance. Consider that he was well funded and strongly supported by city leaders, teachers, and parents, and ask how much changed in a decade of his tenure - and what remained unchanged? Larry Cuban takes this richly detailed history of the Austin, Texas, school district, under Superintendent Pat Forgione, to ask the question that few politicians and school reformers want to touch. Given effective use of widely welcomed reforms, can school policies and practices put all children at the same academic level? Are class and ethnic differences in academic performance within the power of schools to change? Cuban argues that the overall district has shown much improvement - better test scores, more high school graduates, and more qualified teachers. But the improvements are unevenly distributed. The elementary schools improved, as did the high schools located in affluent, well-educated, largely white neighborhoods.But the least improvement came where it was needed most: the predominantly poor, black, and Latino high schools. Before Forgione arrived, over 10 per cent of district schools were failing, and after he left office, roughly the same percentage continued to fail. Austin's signal successes amid failure hold answers to tough questions facing urban district leaders across the nation.

Illustrations:

1 figure

Publication:

Imprint:

Harvard University Press

Returns:

Returnable

Some other items by this author:

AGAINST THE ODDS (HB)

AGAINST THE ODDS (PB)

AMONG SCHOOLTEACHERS (HB)

AMONG SCHOOLTEACHERS (PB)