This report describes a follow-up qualitative study, conducted in 2006 by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, of a small group of New York City high schools that were "beating the odds" in preparing low-performing 9th-grade students for timely high school graduation and college going. The 13 schools included two long-established…

In this article, the author discusses the most recent attempt by educators to emulate the "sound principles" and methods of business and science, which is to become data-driven. The leaders in a data-driven school are able to demonstrate how some number, preferably scores on standardized tests, moved up as a result of some program they initiated.…