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Preface

The Kids Left Behind could not have happened without the assistance and support of many groups and individuals. First, we are deeply indebted to the scholars, educators, evaluators, and authors who were responsible for the 18 studies, reports, and data analyses of high-poverty, high-performing schools that are the foundation of this work. Collectively, these pioneering efforts to identify how schools and districts have closed the achievement gap for underachieving poor students provide a blueprint for America’s districts and schools.

We offer our heartfelt respect and gratitude to Kati Haycock, executive director of the Education Trust, one of the leading organizations committed to advocacy for students of poverty. In addition to writing the foreword, she found time to review our early manuscripts and provided insight and suggestions that helped shape this book.

We also extend our appreciation to the authors and supporting organizations of each of the included studies, reports and data analyses. They include: G. Borman, G. Hewes, L. Overman, and S. Brown (Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk); S. Carter (Heritage Foundation); B. Goodwin (Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning); J. Greene and G. Forster (Manhattan Institute, Center for Civic Innovation); C. Jerald (Education Trust); P. Kannapel and S. Clements (Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence); R. Kitchen, J. DePree, S. Celedon-Pattichis, and J. Brinkerhoff (University of New Mexico); G. Manset, D. Gordon, M. Richie, E. St. John (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory); D. Massell (Center for Policy Research); G. McGee (Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies); D. Reeves (Center for Performance Assessment); J. Richardson (National Staff Development Council); J. Rutherford (Just for the Kids / National Center for Educational Accountability); C. Teddlie and S. Stringfield (Teachers College Press); W. Togneri and S. Anderson (Learning First Alliance); T. Williams, M. Kirst, and E. Haertel (EdSource); the Iowa Association of School Boards; and the U.S. Department of Education.

We also humbly thank the thousands of educators in the remarkable schools studied by the above listed authors and organizations. Indeed, their work, dedication, and successes made these among the first schools in the nation to demonstrate that underachieving poor and minority students can indeed achieve high standards.

We hope that our efforts to compile and represent their achievements do justice to the daily work in each of their districts, schools, and classrooms, and we hope that this book will lead to similar student achievement and successes in all schools.

The preparation and writing of this book initially began with the identification and analysis of 11 studies, and over the next year, 6 more were added as they became available. The last study was analyzed and inserted in the spring of 2006, as the book was being formatted for publication. We believe these studies represent a most timely resource for educators struggling to close achievement gaps for poor and minority students across the United States. Again, we extend our deepest professional appreciation to the scholars and organizations who are responsible for these important studies.

As in each of our earlier books, we have supplemented our research and analysis with interviews, discussions, and observations from our recent work in schools and districts in 41 states. While this manuscript was in development, we presented at over two dozen national conferences and met with scholars at Boise State University, George Washington University, Ohio State University, Oregon State University, UCLA, the University of Alaska, the University of Iowa, the University of Toronto, and the University of Washington. We have worked with advocacy organizations including the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry, the Alaska Council on Economic Education, the National Dropout Prevention Center/ Network, the National Alternative Education Association, the California Education Alliance, the National School Boards Association, the National Staff Development Council, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the American Association of School Administrators. Interaction with each of these organizations gave us unique opportunities to share our preliminary conclusions, discuss public policy issues, and gain valuable information.

We owe a particular word of thanks to the J. A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, in particular Joe Scott, chairman; Jamie Skillern, director; Tom Wilford, chief executive officer; Lori Fisher, executive director; and their colleagues and other board members for the Foundation’s unprecedented support of school improvement in the state of Idaho. Through Foundation partnerships, many Idaho schools, like nationally recognized Lapwai Elementary, have emerged as beacons of improvement for any school or district committed to ensuring proficiency and success for every child.

We have also been welcomed, assisted, supported, and occasionally corrected by several most knowledgeable individuals. Harold Ott, superintendent, and Teri Wagner, elementary principal of the Lapwai School District helped us envision one school’s dramatic improvement and challenged us to share the lessons learned there. Lapwai’s successes represent collaboration throughout the district’s certified and classified staff, the parents, and community. Our thanks also go to school board representatives Julie Kane and Brenna Terry and all of the other members who have worked diligently to support and guide the Lapwai District. Our friends and colleagues Rick Stiggins and Michael Fullan carefully reviewed our manuscript and provided invaluable insight and recommendations. Finally, Jay Goldman, editor of the American Association of School Administrator’s School Administrator and his staff helped us craft and share the Lapwai story.

Throughout the book, we have included quotes from our interviews and practical, firsthand examples of practices and innovations that work. For these, we have many state leaders to acknowledge and thank. Special appreciation goes out to our many friends and colleagues at a number of state departments of education. In Oregon, we thank Susan Castillo, superintendent of public instruction; Pat Burke, deputy superintendent for policy; Vickie Fleming, assistant state superintendent; and Donna Bolt, director of special projects. In Idaho, we thank Marybeth Flachbart, bureau chief of special population services; Margo Healy, director of student achievement and school accountability; and Rose Rettig, director of Reading First. In Iowa, we thank Ray Morley, director of at-risk programs, and in Oklahoma, Sandy Garrett, superintendent of education.

Other colleagues opened the doors to their districts, schools, and classrooms and allowed us to observe and converse. We express our gratitude to the following and apologize to any we may have failed to acknowledge: Harry Martin and Linda Hardin in Ketchikan, Alaska; Darrell Smith in Wynn, Arkansas; Stan Olsen, Ann Farris, and Susan Williamson in Boise, Idaho; Clemmye Jackson in Ames, Iowa; Eric Smith in Annapolis, Maryland; Barb Mukenhirn in Redwing, Minnesota; Rick Harris, Juanita Jeanney, and Denise Galluos in Reno, Nevada; Patricia Cloud in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Dawn Tarzian in Corvallis, Oregon; George Russell in Eugene, Oregon; Jannine Weeks in Nyssa, Oregon; Nancy Golden and Paul Weill in Springfield, Oregon; John Metcalfe and Tom Martin in Lander, Wyoming; and the educators of Norfolk, Virginia; Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina; and Aldine and Brazosport, Texas.

We also sincerely appreciate the support of a number of individuals affiliated with national and state organizations who invited us to share our ongoing work. They include Debbie Brown and Ann Cunningham-Morris of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Gina Van Horn of the California Education Alliance; Sybil Fickle, Georgia Southern University; Linda Shirley, John Peters, and Jay Smink of the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network; Kanisha Williams-Jones of the National School Boards Association; Hae Yung Kim and Cheryl Williams of Teachscape; Marc Levin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation; and Barb McClure-Lukens of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

We also express our appreciation to Steve and Jan Chappuis at the ETS Assessment Training Institute; Dennis White at George Washington University; Dan Rea at Georgia Southern University; George Jackson at Iowa State University; Diana Leigh at Ohio State University; Sam Stern at Oregon State University; Steve Jackstadt at the University of Alaska-Anchorage; Fritz Erickson at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; Jim Stigler at UCLA and the LessonLab; Diane Boothe, Kathleen Budge, Ken Coll, Jonathan Brendefur, Phil Kelly, Roger Stewart, Ross Vaughn, and Scott Willison at Boise State University; and Boise State University doctoral students Marybeth Flachbart, Margo Healy, Celia King, Lisa Kinnaman, Sheila Scott, and Jane Walther, who each read early drafts and provided timely feedback. We are especially indebted to Deb Yates, assistant professor at Albertson College of Idaho. Deb first heard Bob Barr speaking in Indianapolis 10 years ago, later came to Boise State to study with us, and became Barr’s last doctoral student. She not only coauthored his last book, Welcome to Middletown (Solution Tree, 2006), but constantly “trolled” the Internet, finding late-breaking research that was used throughout this book.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies staff; Diana Esbensen, Jenny Newhouse, and Kerri Pickett provided much-needed assistance throughout this project. We couldn’t have done this without your support.

Our thanks also go out to the many folks at Solution Tree who have made this possible: Jeff Jones, Rhonda Rieseberg, Jane St. John, and the rest of the crew; and our editors extraordinaire, Sue Kraszewski and Gretchen Knapp. You have shaped this book in so many ways. It’s great to be back home.

And to Bev Moss, the “glue” of our production team, who stuck with us through another 18 months of late night and weekend drops, frantic emails and unreasonable requests, your word processing and research assistance allowed this book to happen…. We can’t thank you enough.

Bob Barr: Thanks to a number of friends in Newport on the Oregon Coast who shared their music, support, encouragement, and even an occasional dinner while I wrote portions of this book. Special thanks to Dick Schwartz, Beth Mallory, Maggie Bortz, Clay Foster, Jill Pridgeon, Renae and Sky Richmond, DeEtt Brault, Sandy Wieneke, Howard Shippey, Scott Paterson, Gus Willemin, and, of course, my pals, Tami, Rick, Peggy, Barry, Burt, and Duane.

Special thanks are in order to my entire family: to my wife, Beryl Barr; to my daughter, Bonny Barr, and her family, Jerry Williams, Sadie, and Sam; and to my son, Brady Barr, and his family, Mei Len and little Isabella—all of whom, once again, rallied around to help me struggle through yet another major research and writing project.

William Parrett: Thanks to Tom, Therese, Jessie, Carey, Danielle, Christina, Patti, Tim, Jeannie, Holly, Dad, and Jan. Each of you in some way helped me make it through another book. Finally, to the Parrett-Dehner family, Ann, Mia, and Jonathan—words could never express how much your patience, encouragement and support have meant to me throughout this work. I could never have completed this without the three of you.