Globalization has not only created the conditions that have made such educational reforms necessary, but it has also provided market-based ideology to undergird reform efforts from Santiago to New York City. Although a neoliberal approach to education is clearly en vogue, many educators and critics nonetheless have questioned the premises behind the current reforms. Does a market-based paradigm really work to improve schools? Does it indeed improve the educational opportunities for poor families? Can a market-based approach combat social inequality? In this article, the author seeks answers to these questions through a close examination of a prototypical educational reform effort, the New Century Schools Initiative (NCSI) in the United States. Specifically, the author considers how NCSI has appeared to work in New York City, drawing upon 3 years of observations from her work as a staff developer and consultant in 15 NCSI schools. This article is not an empirical study, but a critique based upon the author's experiences.