In this article, the author talks about "the Harlem miracle" described by "New York Times" columnist David Brooks and the big effects produced by no-excuses schools. The author first examines "economic inequality" in Berliner's (2009) more specific terms--seven out-of-school factors that affect achievement. These are: (1) low birth weight (LBW); (2) available quality health care; (3) food insecurity; (4) pollutants; (5) family relations and stress; (6) neighborhood norms; and (7) extended learning opportunities. Then, the author describes Harlem Promise Academy, a charter middle school in Geoffrey Canada's grand experiment, the Harlem Children's Zone, and examines the "miracle" described by Brooks to be sure if it is not just a mirage. Harlem Promise Academy appears to be a one-of-a-kind school that is designed precisely to offset some of the out-of-school factors that Berliner (2009) described. The author found that the Promise Academy is performing miracles only in one grade, in one year, and in one subject--mathematics--on the New York state tests.