Handbook of American High Schools

Written by an interdisciplinary group of experts in education psychology sociology and other fields this landmark handbook provides a thorough examination of U.S. secondary education from the private academies of Colonial America to the comprehensive high schools and alternative schools of today. This accessible compendium is a treasure trove of reliable and authoritative information for educators parents and students. It includes original entries on assessment architecture bullying campus life censorship college preparation desegregation disabilities ethnic identity family and community involvement finance inequality gangs home schooling homework immigrants intelligence learning styles magnet schools mentoring peer groups and peer culture prom reunions rural schools school boards school to work programs sex education sports standardized tests student rights teacher certification teacher shortage test preparation violence vouchers and yearbooks just to name a few. The text includes primary documents each with scene and context-setting introductions such as reports legislation and US Supreme Court cases will be found as well. Thorough cross-referencing enables the user to follow a topic from an entry to a primary document or another related entry. This wide-ranging accessible and user-friendly source is an authoritative reference for anyone concerned with high schools and high school students in the United States.