Educational Policies and Youth in the 21st Century

As our student population diversifies rapidly, there is a critical need to better understandhow national, regional, and/or local policies impact youth in school settings. In many cases,educational policies constructed with the goal of helping youth often have the unintendedconsequence of inhibiting youth's potential. This is especially the case when it comes toyouth from historically underrepresented groups. Over and over, educational legislationaimed at improving life for youth has had the negative effect of eroding opportunities forour most vulnerable and often times less visible youth.The authors of this book examine the schooling experiences of Hispanic, African American, Indigenous, poor, and LGBTyouth groups as a way to spotlight the marginalizing and shortsighted effects of national education language,immigration, and school reform policies. Leading authors from across the country highlight how educational policiesimpact youth's development and socialization in school contexts. In most cases, policies are constructed by adults,implemented by adults, but are rarely informed by the needs and opinions of youth. Not only are youth not consultedbut also policymakers often neglect what we know about the psychological, emotional, and educational health ofyouth. Therefore, both the short and long term impact of these policies have butlimited effects on improving students' school performance or personal healthissues such as depression or suicide.In highlighting the demographic and cultural shifts of the 21st century, this bookprovides a compelling case for policymakers and their constituents to becomemore sensitive to the diverse needs of our changing student population and toadvocate for policies that better serve them.