Striving in Common ― A Regional Equity Framework for Urban Schools

In Striving in Common, Jennifer Jellison Holme and Kara S. Finnigan seek to build a bridge between two largely disparate, yet interconnected, conversations—those among education reformers on the one hand, and urban reformers on the other. In this carefully considered volume, the authors show how the challenges faced by urban schools are linked to issues of regional equity and civic capacity.

Drawing on examples from a range of cities, including St. Louis, Milwaukee, Palo Alto, Rochester, Omaha, and Minneapolis, Holme and Finnigan trace the policy decisions that have fostered competition for scarce resources between cities and suburbs as well as patterns of segregation by race and income. They highlight the limited ability of technical education reforms and interdistrict desegregation programs to counter the resulting educational inequities. The authors then examine existing regional governance initiatives aimed at promoting equity and reducing inefficiency through city/suburban cooperation. Finally, Holme and Finnigan outline a framework for cross-sector, regional governance mechanisms that would incorporate tax-base sharing, targeted investments in high-poverty communities, and mobility policies to help students and families access better opportunities. The book concludes with a discussion of the political opportunities and challenges presented by such a strategy.

At a time of increasing concern over inequality in education and society, Striving in Common sets forth an ambitious agenda for rethinking the parameters of education policy and connecting education reform to broader efforts at urban reform.

JENNIFER JELLISON HOLME is an associate professor of education policy in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin. KARA S. FINNIGAN is a professor at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education.