In Science Education and Student Diversity, Okhee Lee and Aurolyn Luykx have achieved a comprehensive and authoritative treatment of all aspects of the topic: policy, conceptual frameworks, student characteristics, instruction, curricula, assessment, teacher preparation and professional development, school organization, and the relationships of science education to families, home environments, and communities of diverse students. It is difficult to imagine any serious educator of our time who will not be grateful for a reading of this book. The authors have gathered all the facts, given us a calm and convincing critique of our state of knowledge and practice, and drawn wise conclusions as to where and how our knowledge can further grow.

This book takes on even greater importance from the context of its creation. The authors headed a team of scholars from several research institutions, collaborating through programs of CREDE, the Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence, now located at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1996 through 2004, CREDE was the national research center of the U.S. Department of Education, concerned with research and development of effective educational programs for students of diverse languages, races, cultures, economic strata, and geographies – those students placed at risk of failure in schools by traditional programs designed for mainstream society. CREDE's 40 research projects (and 80 affiliated researchers) spanned the United States, from Hawaii to Florida, from Alaska to Providence, studying students of every major linguistic and cultural group.