URBAN SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT - LITERACY AS A LEVER FOR CHANGE

The Center for School Improvement (CSI) collaborates with a number of Chicago elementary schools on an Urban School Development initiative. The schools which are racially isolated and serve low-income communiti es, agree to work with CSI toward supporting fundamental restructuring using literacy as a lever for change. This article draws together evo lving understandings based on several years of work in these schools, The authors first discuss their approach to comprehensive school devel opment, then derail the literacy initiative that is the major academic component of their work. The article concludes with reflections an th e role of the research university in promoting urban school reform.