Although the problems of educating disadvantaged youth often seem overwhelming, this volume provides optimistic insights on the subject. All of the contributors are committed to the principle that disadvantaged children can be served by schools. They recommend major policy changes, dramatic alterations of school structures and practices, and fundamentally different ways of viewing both disadvantaged youth and effective schooling. The volume presents an interdisciplinary approach to research and a collaborative approach to school-based interventions. The topics covered include family involvement in schooling; linguistic contexts of schooling; political and social policy analyses; school practices; and the role of foundations in supporting school improvement. The focal groups include young children, young and older adolescents, ethnic and linguistic minorities, and families. The first section of the volume focuses on issues facing policymakers and educators. The second section focuses on linkages among children's learning in schools, families and community-based agencies and programs. The final section examines school practices that affect the performance of disadvantaged and minority students in existing school structures.