Challenges Facing Suburban Schools: Promising Responses to Changing Student Populations

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Description

This coedited book describes the impact that an increasingly diverse student population has on 21st century suburban schools. It also presents what can and should be done to help K-12 school district administrators and teachers address this growing phenomenon across the nation. This eight-chapter book: provides a demographic, political, economic, and sociological overview of the changing nature of suburban schools describes the nature of student diversity in the changing suburbs and issues with student achievement identifies administrative responsibilities and program structures for working with a changing student population proposes ways to reduce the achievement gap, most notably in literacy looks at how to use whole child assessment protocols to provide support for such students delves into parent inequities within changing suburban districts and offers ideas for closing the parent gap. This book is written for school district administrators, teachers, legislators, policy makers, teacher educators, and educational researchers for developing programs and pathways for a segment of the student and parent population that now is living in suburban areas without traditional roots as advantaged suburbanites.

Reviews

This publication is not to miss if you are an educational leader, researcher or policy maker! Volume editors Shelley B. Wepner and Diane W. Gmezs carefully selected chapters present a comprehensive picture that uncover the complex realities of suburbia. Each chapter is written by leading experts in the field offering a new understanding of effective leadership practices and successful educational approaches to working with a changing population. -- Andrea Honigsfeld, PhD, associate dean, Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY,
Change happens, including in the suburbs and in our suburban schools. Shelley Wepner and Diana Gmez have brought together an impressive group of leading scholars to highlight both the challenges and the great strengths that emerge when schools become more culturally and linguistically diverse. Educators will find a wealth of ideas and practical strategies for building on these strengths to offer equitable and effective education for all students in 21st century suburban schools. -- Wayne E. Wright, PhD, professor and Barbara I. Cook Chair of Literacy and Language, College of Education, Purdue University
This groundbreaking compilation addresses a topic that has for too long remained invisible in much educational policy: the increasing cultural and linguistic pluralism of suburban schools and neighborhoods. Of course, this demographic diversity is not invisible to the students themselves and the teachers, administrators, parents, and researchers who are advocating for their educational and life opportunities. Bringing together luminaries in the field that offer multiple perspectives but a shared commitment to equity, Wepner & Gmez help us understand the changing suburbs and inspire leadership and action. -- H. Gerald Campano, associate professor, Literacy, Culture, and International Education Division, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Author Bio

Shelley B. Wepner is Dean and Professor of Education in the School of Education of Manhattanville College. She has over 145 publications focused primarily on connections between K-12 education and higher education and leadership skills for effectively supporting teacher education and literacy development. Diane W. Gmez is Associate Professor of Second Languages and Chairperson for the Department of Educational Leadership and Special Subjects in the School of Education at Manhattanville College.