The Problem: Urban school districts serve large numbers of children living at or below the poverty level. These schools, like many other social institutions located in urban communities are overburdened and severely underfunded. Many individuals in these distressed districts, characterized by overcrowded classrooms, outdated resources, and limited funding, face day-to-day challenges that force them to develop and implement creative survival techniques. In an effort to improve student achievement, those in leadership and decision making positions must constantly address the complexities and challenges enveloping increasingly diverse and global urban communities. There are also structural features in funding systems that severely affect one’s ability to meet students’ needs. Policymakers and educators are confronted with financial challenges that affect measures of economic well being and limit life chances of urban children. Unfortunately, politicians, community leaders and other stakeholders re frequently engaged in political battles that give rise to disjointed decisions that do little to eradicate these structural obstacles. Those who govern financially bankrupt urban districts constantly complain about inadequate financial support (rightly so). Adequacy as related to the allocation and distribution of resources is a public value that society embraces; however, the disparities in funding poor and more affluent school districts continue to present challenges to those who must negotiate the decaying infrastructures pervading urban cities and schools. Although school districts receive revenue from local funding sources, the state, as well as federal aid, funding is frequently inadequate in terms of building the capacity to meet the needs of students. Most local governments depend on property taxes and to a lesser extent income and sales taxes to generate revenue. However, public dissatisfaction with proposed tax increases often limits the power of elected officials to increase property taxes. Demographic shifts and global forces continue to affect the development and implementation of market-driven education policies and practices. Purpose of Study: The purpose of this paper is to examine the structural problems and policy tensions affecting urban communities and student achievement. Specifically, this study explores the interrelated aspects of policy, practice and research and how they affect academic achievement.

Methodology A descriptive methodology was utilized to analyze, compute and summarize Data. Sources of data are listed below. Figure 1.1 Distribution of K–12 enrollment (1993). Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, The NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), “Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey,” 1993–94, 2000–01 and 2003–04. Figure 1.2 Distribution of K–12 enrollment (2000). Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, The NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), “Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey,” 1993–94, 2000–01 and 2003–04. Figure 1.3 Distribution of K–12 enrollment (2003). Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, The NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), “Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey,” 1993–94, 2000–01 and 2003–04.

Evidence Based Findings A closer look at the central cities shows that in 2003 65% of all minorities were enrolled in urban schools. These urban areas had the largest increase in enrollment, 9 percentage points. On the other hand, only 21% of the total numbers of minority students were enrolled in rural schools in 2003. Enrollment patterns also indicated that between 1993 and 2003, minority enrollment increased 5 percentage points in urban fringe areas and 8 percentage points in towns. Further analysis of data also suggested that African American and Hispanic children are more likely to attend high poverty schools than their European American counterparts. As we examine achievement, it becomes apparent that the academic performance of special populations in urban communities is not being adequately addressed.