ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the qualities of schools that support the convention's goals, and that are relevant to the needs of urban children and their families. It represent goals that local authorities and communities can aspire to, whether through direct allocation of funding, through coordination of services and resources, or through advocacy and collaboration with higher levels of authority. Although local control is critical to vital community-based schools, decentralization can also exacerbate differences in quality and affordability between richer and poorer cities and communities. In an ideal world it would be possible to provide adequately within community schools for the needs of all children, regardless of their special requirements. Many children of minority groups, including refugees, migrants and transient residents, may miss out on education because of the fear of ostracism, harassment or marginalization in schools, or because schooling is not offered in their own language.
