Urban Education Can Be Defined

Urban education can be defined in many ways; from a strictly dictionary definition or technical standpoint urban education is merely education offered to inner city students or students from within an urban setting. A more comprehensive perspective and definition of urban education would be to describe urban education as education directed at the nations most deserving and wanting population... inner city youths. Urban education may also be defined as a tool, a tool that students can use to grow and learn in an environment that is supportive and nurturing. However more often than not urban education is viewed as a challenge, as a problem and as something in need of repair within the United States.

Urban education could be a means for students to gain proficiency in knowledge, and learn to respond to and communicate information, values and understanding of the world they live in through language and literacy. Ideally these language and literacy skills should be accessible and taught through schools within urban areas. In any other educational setting, students are afforded the opportunity to gain proficiency in knowledge in a safe and supportive environment. For many within the urban educational system, the prospect of crime and other hazards detracts from the primary purpose of education in general.

Urban education could be the foundation for growth and understanding for hundreds of thousands of eager and well deserving students... students that are anxious to have their needs met. This definition or perception of urban education is what administrators, officials and families should aspire to when considering urban education for students in the United States.

Urban education is perhaps the single most challenging sector of education within the United States today do to a variety of different factors unique to urban settings and inner cities. Urban education for decades has faced criticism from the public who often believes it has expert opinion about the manner in which students should be taught, regardless of their background (Goldenberg, et. al, 2003). Much of the public criticizes urban educators for failing to serve students in many ways. Test scores and overall student performance are community-based issues in urban education that have oft been addressed by administrators and the public seeking to maximize a student's potential for success in the future. Many people criticize urban education for failing students, without first addressing the issues facing urban educators.

There are several factors that must be addressed when examining urban education, primarily: accountability, diversity, leadership and learning. Each of these is explored in greater detail below.

First and foremost, who is accountable for the quality of education in these schools, and the success and achievement of students attending them? The answer is not simply 'educational administrators' or the 'government' but both. Communities, families, educators and the government have an obligation to commit themselves to urban educators, to ensure that students in these often underserved populations are provided with the same opportunities as children elsewhere in the United States are.

The integration of communities, families, educators and government is more important in the urban school setting than in others, because students in these settings face more unique challenges and thus require a broader support framework that schools in other sectors of the United States.

Diversity is a central issue in most urban schools, where the majority of populations (up to 75%) are ethnic minorities (Wilson, 1994). Educators must take into consideration teaching approaches to ensure that students are welcomed into a collaborative environment that is inclusive of the many different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities naturally represented in the classroom.

When the curriculum isn't geared toward acceptance of diversity and promotion of diverse values, urban students are set up for an increased risk for failure. The emphasis within urban education needs to be on culturally diverse approaches to learning and achievement.

With regard to leadership and learning, urban educators face many challenges, discussed in greater detail below. Urban students require strong leaders willing to fight for their rights and equitable opportunities. A majority of students attending school in urban settings are not afforded the same educational opportunities as peers in other regions, because there are generally a higher number of less experienced educators available to work in these educational settings.

Issues Facing K-12 Leadership in Urban School Settings

What are the issues facing urban education in the K-12 environment and beyond? And to what extent is crime a hot topic among urban educators?

Some have attributed the complicated issues facing urban education including crime and poverty to school boards and administrations, but the larger issue seems to be funding and support from diverse institutions (Wilson, 1994). The need for high quality and universal educational standards is a must within the United States, where public schools vary tremendously in their ability to serve varying populations (Wilson, 1994).

At this time there is a great deal of support for education as a whole, but not enough emphasis on curing the ills that exist within the urban education sector of education.

There are many issues facing urban education, including poverty. Within the United States for example, the problem of child poverty exists, which impacts a students chances for success. A 1997 survey suggested that the U.S. had the highest child poverty rate (18.9%) of any industrialized nation in the world (Goldenberg, 2003). Generally schools with higher levels of poverty among students and families are staffed with less experienced and qualified teachers which further complicates the issue of urban education (Goldenberg, 2003).

Generally American students attend school for a greater length of time than citizens in other countries and more students attend college than in any other nation (Wilson, 1994). The highest achieving students within the U.S. compare well with students in foreign countries (Wilson, 1994). This is not necessarily the case however among students attending urban educational facilities, where the standards of education for many seem to be lower than what they should be. This may be attributed to a number of factors including funding and lack of emphasis on curing the ills of urban education within the United States.

Urban public educational facilities however face unique challenges, including changing family structures, high rates of student turn over, spending constraints and districts that are complicated to operate (Wilson, 1994). Urban schools generally have larger concentrations of students who are racial and ethnic minorities, with more than 75% of the population usually non-white (Wilson, 1994). Urban education also face higher concentrations of poverty, with more than 50% of students eligible for free or reduced fee lunches (Wilson, 1994).

Other challenges facing urban educators include higher rates of crime, including violence, drugs, robberies, teenage pregnancy, suicide and homelessness among students (Wilson, 1994). Urban school districts face more immigrant populations and students that have a limited ability to speak English (Wilson, 1994). At present there are few successful strategies in place that have adequately addressed these issues within urban education, leaving the door wide open for improvements. Educators must collaborate with officials and community members to tackle each of these issues head on if the nation's children are to have a shot at a fair and equitable opportunity for learning and growth within the urban educational environment.