Improbable scholars

It's all bad news out of American public schools these days. Tests scores are declining, we hear, students don't want to go to school, and the curriculum is more and more watered down.

But what about those schools that should be failing but are not? What are those teachers and administrators doing differently?

Kirp takes a close look at one such school district. It's in Union City, New Jersey and the students are predominantly poor and predominantly not native English speakers. Yet students are doing well on nationally normed tests. Why?

Kirp reveals the commitments that have helped Union City students do well despite the obstacles students in the city face. Instead of revising curriculum and bringing in new teachers and new methods, Union City staff has worked on strengthening the parts of their system that have always worked well. Kirp cites four key components: strong early childhood education, a word-rich environment, help for teachers, and a program known as abrazos which emphasizes connections in the school.

Great read.