by Neil Young
First published 2010
When Chicago's public school system hands unprecedented control to parents and communities in 1988, the stakes couldn't be higher. Neil Young follows the dramatic transformation as ordinary citizens suddenly hold the power to reshape their children's education. Some schools soar to new heights while others crash spectacularly. Young tracks two hundred elementary schools over seven years, documenting which ones accelerate student learning and which ones fail. He uncovers the specific practices that separate winners from losers: strong leadership, capable teachers, and learning environments that put students first. The community backdrop matters too, as crime and social forces shape what happens inside classroom walls. Young zooms in on two neighboring schools whose paths diverge completely, revealing how identical opportunities can yield opposite outcomes. This is the story of what happens when a massive urban system bets everything on local control.
Genres: sociology, education, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: social-justice
Setting: Chicago
Period: 1988
328 pages · Hardcover · University of Chicago Press