Kids and school reform

by Patricia A. Wasley

Based on an extensive, in-depth study of 150 students from across the country, Kids, and School Reform offers a student perspective on schools that are transforming themselves. Using extended vignettes and the actual voices and stories of six students who differ in personality, economic and personal circumstances, and academic achievement, the authors show how reform efforts affect kids and what changes matter the most. The five high schools studied are part of the Coalition of Essential Schools. Kids and School Reform reveals that students do best in school when the following sets of interactive connections take place: variety balanced by routine, high expectations nurtured by personal attention, curriculum that is both rigorous and innovative, and a school community small enough to engage everyone in lively discourse. By tracking the six students from their sophomore to their senior year, the authors are able to provide valuable insights for teachers, administrators, parents, policym