A Study of Urban Education. A Report.

Overview & Synopsis

To obtain a clearer understanding of the problems of urban education in Illinois, a committee of seven State legislators and 14 lay citizens engaged in a three-part study: (1) A series of statewide public hearings was held, resulting in 27 proposed solutions, and five universities submitted plans for their increased participation in the improvement of urban education. (2) Dr. Ben C. Hubbard reported on attempts to solve urban education problems in Baltimore and New York City. (3) Professional members of the committee reviewed 57 items of literature issued between 1964 and 1968, concerning problems of urban education. Recommendations made by the committee, as a result of their study, included allocation of State school funds on the basis of average daily membership, enactment of legislation empowering the State superintendent of public instruction to work with district superintendents and local boards of education to bring individual schools up to recognized developmental standards, formation of a council to aid development of programs for educationally disadvantaged children, improvement of vocational education for students in the inner city, and enactment of State legislation providing for financial support of preschool programs. (JK)