Poll Shows Urban School Leaders Optimistic, Business Most Helpful to Schools, Student Achievement Most Pressing Need

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 -- Despite many challenges facing educators in the nation's major cities, big-city school district leaders are generally optimistic and hopeful about the future of urban schools, according to a survey being released at the Council of the Great City Schools Annual Fall Conference, Oct. 16-20, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"What might be fueling this hope is a continued confidence by urban school leaders that current reforms are making a difference, resulting in steady improvements in student test scores," says Council Executive Director Michael Casserly.

The report, Critical Tends in Urban Education - Fifth Biennial Survey of America's Great City Schools," also ranks the most helpful and least helpful outside groups to urban education.  Business leaders, foundations and local education funds continue to be viewed as the most helpful.  The least helpful: U.S. Congress, local government agencies and the news media.  Mayors were generally rated as helpful; governors less so.

Launched in 1994, the survey found that improving student academic achievement is the No. 1 pressing need in urban public schools for the fourth consecutive poll.  Closing racial achievement gaps follows as the new federal law, No Child Left Behind, intensifies the need for improvement.

How are big-city school leaders addressing the student achievement issue?  Professional development has been the most effective reform strategy during the last four polls.  Decentralized decision-making continued to slide as an effective reform strategy.

Critical Trends reflects the views of more than 525 urban school superintendents, board members and other leadership staff surveyed around the nation.

The Council of the Great City Schools is a Washington-based coalition representing nearly 60 urban school systems.