New Jersey's urban initiative - revitalization of urban schools

American Education, July, 1984 by Saul Cooperman

Research design

One of the most significant components of the state's urban initiative is its research design, by which the department will track and analyze how well the three target districts' renewal plans work. Developed with the assistance of a special consultant on the School Renewal Team, this design will allow department staff to learn from both the successes and failures of Operation School Renewal. That body of research will then become available to districts throughout New Jersey.

The department will also apply its results in a second round of Operation School Renewal, with new target districts, as soon as staff and resources permit.

But New Jersey's urban initiative also has the potential to help schools across the country. It is the first state-level urban school program with a research component aimed at documenting a substantial body of results. New Jersey will therefore make that body of research available to all educators interested in exploring the application of such programs and their relative effectiveness under a variety of circumstances.

More than 20 years ago, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare John Gardner observed that students will not achieve the very best of which they are capable unless educators set high standards for them. Since that time, educators have also learned how important it is to provide the programs and school environment that encourage students to strive for their best.

New Jersey's urban initiative was designed to help students in just this way. By building on what we know about effective programs and by studying their results, we can strengthen our understanding of how urban schools--or, for that matter, any school--can succeed anywhere.