In this age of high-stakes testing and calls for more stringent measures of accountability, urban schools face a great deal of scrutiny. In fact, the direct benefactors of school reform remain the students most at risk for not reaping the benefits of reform rhetoric. Current legislation that propels the notion of "scientifically based research" to the forefront of debate on what constitutes a high-quality education fails to contextualize the teaching and learning process in urban settings and promises to do more harm than good. This article will examine the challenges and opportunities inherent in scientifically based research and the implications for urban schools.