Includes bibliographical references (p. 251-306) and index.

Joaquin's dilemma: understanding the link between racial identity and school-related behaviors -- The trouble with Black boys: the impact of social and cultural forces on the academic achievement of African American males -- And what will become of children like Miguel Fern�andez/Y qu�e pasar�a con j�ovenes como Miguel Fern�andez? Education, immigration, and the future of Latinos in the United States -- How listening to students can help schools to improve -- Latino youth: Immigration, education, and the future -- Preventing and producing violence: a critical analysis of responses to school violence -- Schools, prisons, and social implications of punishment: rethinking disciplinary practices -- Racial politics and the elusive quest for excellence and equity in education -- Reclaiming the promise of public education with Alan Blankstein -- Standards for what? Accountability for whom? Rethinking standards-based reform in public education -- Racial isolation, poverty, and the limits of local control as a means for holding public schools accountable -- Transforming urban schools through investments in social capital.