During the last five years, the Prince George's County (Maryland) public school system has brought about dramatic improvements in the academic achievement of at-risk students, offering strong evidence that public education can succeed for all children. This report describes how Prince George's County accomplished this turnaround through a process of high expectations, hard work, and a well-developed plan of districtwide accountability. The plan was comprised of five steps. Step 1, "Taking Ownership of the Problem," involves two phases: (1) identifying educators' low expectations of themselves and negative attitudes about student potential as root causes of the problem; and (2) drafting a mission statement pledging to make sure that all students will learn. Step 2, "Establishing a Set of Measurable Performance Standards," consisted of developing goals that focused on educational outcomes rather than inputs and selecting appropriate assessment tools. Step 3, "Empowering Staff with Knowledge," included staff development and training as key elements in an effective schools model of school improvement. Step 4, "Increasing Autonomy at the School Level," incorporated school based management and decision making. Step 5, "Increasing Resources to Support Innovation," emphasized an active partnership between school staff and parents in educational improvement. The report concludes with a discussion of the model's replication nationwide and a brief summary. (AF)