Reveals the lack of educational standards in America's poor urban public schools and explains why poor children are getting beyond third grade without being able to properly read. Promotional policies are discussed as well as the teacher's role in promotional decisions. It argues for adoption of explicit, commonly shared, grade-by-grade academic…

Proposes ways to ensure teacher quality through professionalizing teacher hiring and dismissal policies. State and local education authorities must stop undercutting current standards and must end emergency credentials and the misassignment of teachers. Suggests ways to accommodate teacher shortages until additional qualified teachers are found.…

Examines the progress of standards reform, suggesting ways to fix what is wrong in education, including: holding elected officials and school officials accountable; supporting teachers in implementing state standards; providing quality curriculum; collaborating to remedy problems with testing; developing curriculum in partnership with key…