Stephen Kotok

School Choice, Racial Segregation, and Poverty Concentration Evidence From Pennsylvania Charter School Transfers

This article examines how student movements between traditional public schools (TPSs) and charters—both brick and mortar and cyber—may be associated with both racial isolation and poverty concentration. Using student-level data from the universe of Pennsylvania public schools, this study builds upon previous research by specifically examining student transfers into charter schools, disaggregating findings by geography. We find that, on average, the transfers of African American and Latino students from TPSs to charter schools were segregative. White students transferring within urban areas transferred to more racially segregated schools. Students from all three racial groups attended urban charters with lower poverty concentration.

Universal patterns or the tale of two systems? Mathematics achievement and educational expectations in post-socialist Europe

Although communist ideology claimed to destroy former class stratification based on labour market capitalist relationships, de facto during socialism one social class hierarchy was substituted for another that was equally unequal. The economic transition during the 1990s increased stratification by wealth, which affected educational inequality. This study examines the relationships among parental education, gender, educational expectations and mathematics achievement of youths in five post-socialist Eastern European countries, comparing them with three Western countries. We employed the 8th-grade data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1995 and 2007. The findings point to the universal associations between parental education and student outcomes, whereas gender comparisons present interesting East-West differences. The theoretical and policy implications of these findings are discussed.

School Climate and Dropping Out of School in the Era of Accountability

Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09)—a large nationally representative sample of US high school students—we employed multilevel structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between school characteristics and the likelihood that a student will drop out of high school. We used a multifaceted framework on school climate to assess the degree to which school attachment, disciplinary order, disciplinary fairness, and academic climate are associated with individuals dropping out of high school. Additionally, we examined how structural and compositional characteristics of schools influence school climate and dropping out of school. Our findings indicate that attending a high school with better disciplinary order and stronger school attachment for the students is associated with a decreased likelihood of dropping out, above and beyond individual characteristics.

Demography and Educational Politics in the Suburban Marketplace

The demography of public school enrollment continues to change dramatically, with students of color comprising an increasing proportion of the whole. As such, suburbia, with both White and non-White students, is a place in which integration is more possible in the beginning of the 21st century. Due to the intertwined nature of how these factors affect educational politics in suburban districts, we draw on Hirschmans exit-voice-loyalty framework to examine factors influencing residential and education decisions. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork in seven multiracial suburban districts, this article examines how, and whether, the way in which districts define issues related to increasing diversity shapes the actions they take. The article also examines how district jurisdiction affects the implementation of diversity policies as well as the policies themselves. We argue that policymakers’ decision making, both due to the pressure of exit to less diverse suburban districts and the rising voices of more advantaged residents in the suburban marketplace, has increased inequality within districts, particularly those that we call “multimunicipal,” or districts with multiple, disparate municipalities within the district.

When the fences come down: twenty-first-century lessons from metropolitan school desegregation

tices jeopardized the stability of their employment. The latter sections of the book focus on theoretical conclusions and implications for policy and practice, such as the significant impact caring adults can have on adolescent development. The authors also detail culturally-based practices that should replace harmful discipline and encourage youth to solve problems and gain respect without using violence. Together, the youths’ stories and these recommendations will motivate readers to recommit to confronting inequality and injustice.

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

This case study was inspired by visits to several different rural high schools in Pennsylvania. The case illuminates the challenges faced by rural principals and superintendents who want to integrate digital technology into their curriculum, but who lack certain financial and human capital resources. Although this case occurred in a remote, rural area, school leaders in various settings deal with similar dilemmas. The following case is designed for principal preparation courses such as instructional leadership, organizational leadership, and school budgeting. In addition, this case could be utilized in educational policy courses examining school choice policies and how traditional public school districts respond to competition from online charter schools.