Poverty is a strong predictor of lack of academic success in reading, and schools serving high-poverty populations are more likely to show weak performance in high-stakes tests. But some schools manage to beat these odds, with students outperforming peers from more advantaged neighborhoods. Why? The author showcases six high-poverty schools where large numbers of children pass state tests. Teachers indicated that the most important factors influencing their schools' success are the amount of instruction provided, time devoted to real reading and writing, perseverance and persistence, and high levels of student engagement