Includes bibliographical references (pages 197-218) and index.

1. Representation, partisanship and equality in education; 2. Two myths: separate but equal and nonpartisan education; 3. The politics of African-American school board representation: partisanship, structure and resources; 4. Race and the street level bureaucrats: with a little help from my friends; 5. Partisanship, teacher representation and access to education opportunities; 6. Race, politics and student learning; 7. Can you beat the ovarian lottery?.

"Based on the 1,800 largest school districts in the United States over a decade, The Politics of African-American Education documents the status of African-American education and the major role that partisanship plays. The book brings together the most comprehensive database on minority education to date that centers around three arguments. First, partisanship permeates African-American education; it affects who is elected to the school board, the racial composition of school administrators and teachers, and the access of African-American students to quality education. Second, African-American representation matters. The effectiveness of African-American representation, however, is enhanced in Democratic districts while representation in Republican districts has little influence. Third, political structures matter, but they are not determinative. Two different structures - election rules and the independent school district - create the rules of the game in US education politics and policy but do not limit others from using those rules to change the outcome"-- Provided by publisher.