The Elusive Ideal: Equal Educational Opportunity and the Federal Role in Boston's Public Schools, 1950-1985 [Paperback]

In recent years, federal mandates in education have become the subject of increasing debate. Adam R. Nelson'sThe Elusive Ideal—a postwar history of federal involvement in the Boston public schools—provides lessons from the past that shed light on the continuing struggles of urban public schools today. This far-reaching analysis examines the persistent failure of educational policy at local, state, and federal levels to equalize educational opportunity for all. Exploring deep-seated tensions between the educational ideals of integration, inclusion, and academic achievement over time, Nelson considers the development and implementation of policies targeted at diverse groups of urban students, including policies related to racial desegregation, bilingual education, special education, school funding, and standardized testing.

An ambitious study that spans more than thirty years and covers all facets of educational policy, from legal battles to tax strategies,The Elusive Idealprovides a model from which future inquiries will proceed. A probing and provocative work of urban history with deep relevance for urban public schools today, Nelson's book reveals why equal educational opportunity remains such an elusive ideal.

Adam R. Nelsonis assistant professor of educational policy studies and history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author ofEducation and Democracy: The Meaning of Alexander Meiklejohn, 1872-1964.

Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Evolution of School Reform in Boston
1. Pursuing Federal Funds, 1950-1963
2. Defining Disadvantage as Disability, 1963-1966
3. Aggravating Racial Imbalance, 1966-1968
4. Seeking Program Effectiveness, 1968-1971
5. Making Appropriate Placements, 1971-1974
6. Reconfiguring School Finance, 1974-1977
7. Evading Local Accountability, 1977-1980
8. Compelling Better Results? 1980-1985
Conclusion: The Complelƒc