2004/02/01 by Shernaz B. García, Patricia L. Guerra
Social Sciences · #Parental Involvement in Education #School Choice and Performance #Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
paper · doi:10.1177/0013124503261322
crossref issued 2004/02/01 · crossref published 2004/02/01 · crossref published-online 2004/02/01 · crossref published-print 2004/02/01 · openalex publication_date 2004/02/01 · crossref created 2004/04/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref deposited 2026/04/28 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Studies of comprehensive school reform suggest that such efforts often fail because of educators’ unwillingness to examine the root causes of underachievement and of failure among students from low-income and racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds and because of their tendency to locate the problem within students, families, and communities. Drawing on their research and professional development experiences, the authors present a conceptual framework for the deconstruction of deficit thinking through staff development. Next, they discuss assumptions and beliefs about culturally diverse students and families that they have encountered in low performing schools, and they illustrate how such beliefs may be successfully challenged and reframed.