In public schools, the absentee rate was highest in urban schools and lowest in rural schools.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Education | Truancy: How do countries compare?

Of the approximately 5, 000 charter schools nationwide, only about 20% are in the suburbs, while 51% are in urban areas, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

WSJ: Segregation Fear Sinks Charter School

In our case, the support of the mayor has been critical, and as one of the only large urban districts to adopt this change in governance of our schools, I believe that the District of Columbia public school system will be a model for urban school reform.

FORBES: Michelle Rhee

The Collective Focus, led by the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh in partnership with the AAAT and supported by the Pittsburgh Public Schools and the United Way of Allegheny County, has identified a two-pronged intervention approach wherein African American Achievement Trust participants volunteer as sixth grade mentors and twelfth grade Graduation Coaches.

WHITEHOUSE: Education Is The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time

The vast majority of African Americans in public schools are from a dozen urban under-resourced schools with challenges very different from the suburban high per-capita cost per student schools.

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