DOCUMENT RESUME ED 440 170 UD 033 460 AUTHOR Carter, Samuel Casey TITLE No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools. INSTITUTION Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC. ISBN ISBN-0-89195-090-7 PUB DATE 2000-00-00 NOTE 130p.; Foreword by Adam Meyerson. AVAILABLE FROM Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002 ($9.50). Tel: 202-546-4400; Web site: http://www.heritage.org. PUB TYPE Books (010) Reports - Descriptive (141) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC06 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Elementary Secondary Education; *High Achievement; *Institutional Characteristics; Low Income Groups; *Performance Factors; *Poverty; Principals; Profiles; Program Descriptions; Public Schools; *Urban Schools ABSTRACT There is no excuse for the failure of most public schools to teach poor children. All children can learn, as the principals and schools profiled in this book have demonstrated. These schools and administrators have overcome the bureaucratic and cultural obstacles that keep low-income children behind in most public schools. The 21 high-performing, high-poverty schools profiled have not succeeded by chance. Their success is the result of hard work, common sense teaching philosophies, and successful leadership strategies that can be replicated. Ti e first part of the book contains discussions of effective practices that have made these schools successful: (1) parental accountability;(2) teacher quality;(3) effective diagnostic testing;(4) emphasis on basic skills; and (5) the effective allocation of funds. The second section contains the profiles of the 21 "no excuses" schools. Four appendixes contain educational reform models, research summaries, titles for further reading, and definitions, methods, and study procedures. (Contains 38 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. tfithi.21V 11==k PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 0 1 1,111eva _ler" L_frAmotlo_o_ TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 0 1 _ Samuel Casey Carter / Asmasailm, Foreword by Adam Meyerson 1/4 1/4 tter Woundatioli 2 MMINNIIIIM111.1 IferitageToundatim VISION FOR AMERICA The Heritage Foundation is committed to building an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity and civil society flourish. MISSION STATEMENT Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institutea think tankwhose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Note: Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress. 3 214 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, DC 20002-4999 www.heritage.org No Excuses Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools Samuel Casey Carter Foreword by Adam Meyerson .leritagecFoundation. The Heritage Foundation 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 202-546-4400 www.heritage.org Cover photo courtesy of Cornerstone Schools Association Photo illustration by Mitzi Hamilton Cover design by Michelle F. Smith Copyright © 2000 by The Heritage Foundation ISBN 0-89195-090-7 Dedication This book is dedicated to Suzanne Kirby, my wife, and Kirby Catherine, our daughter. 6 iii No Excuses Campaign The No Excuses campaign is a national effort organized by The Heri- tage Foundation to mobilize public pressure on behalf of better educa- tion for the poor. The No Excuses campaign brings together liberals, centrists, and conservatives who are committed to high academic achievement among children of all races, ethnic groups, and family incomes. Participants in the No Excuses campaign may hold differing views about vouchers, the federal role in education, and other policy issues. But we agree that there is no excuse for the academic failure of most public schools serving poor children. All children can learn. Hundreds of public, private, and religious schools serving low-income children have proved it. Help us to shine a spotlight on their success and join us in demanding that failing schools meet their standard. No Excuses. 7 iv Table ofContents Acknowledgments vii Foreword by Adam Meyerson 1 IntroductionSeven Common Traits of High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools 7 Effective Practices 13 Parental Accountability 13 Extending the mission of the school to the home Teachers 17 What to look for, where to find them, how to hire, how to fire Testing 23 Diagnosis is not discrimination Basic Skills 27 How progressive education has hurt low-income children most of all Dollars and Sense 30 What principals spend their money on and why The No Excuses Schools 37 Ernest Smith 41 Portland Elementary, Portland, AR Nancy Ichinaga 43 Bennett-Kew Elementary, Inglewood, CA Vanessa Beverly 46 Marcus Garvey School, Los Angeles, CA Alfonso L. Jessie, Jr. 49 Cascade Elementary, Atlanta, GA Cynthia Collins 51 Marva Collins Preparatory School, Chicago, IL v No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High - Performing, High-Poverty Schools Hellen De Berry 53 Earhart Elementary, Chicago, IL Craig Ergang 57 George Washington Elementary, Chicago, IL James Coady 60 Morse Elementary, Cambridge, MA Ernestine Sanders 63 Cornerstone Schools Association, Detroit, MI Patsy Burks 67 Owen Elementary, Detroit, MI Ronald Williams 69 Newberry Elementary, Detroit, MI Alyson Barillari 71 Fourteenth Avenue School, Newark, NJ Irwin Kurz 74 P.S.16IThe Crown School, Brooklyn, NY Mary Koj es 78 P.S. 122The Mamie Fay School, Long Island City, NY Gregory Hodge 81 Frederick Douglass Academy, New York, NY David Levin 85 KIPP Academy, Bronx, NY Thomas E. Williams 87 Healthy Start Academy, Durham, NC Angelo F. Milicia 89 Stephen. Girard / GAMP, Philadelphia, PA Vivian C. Dillihunt 91 Rozelle Elementary, Memphis, TN Michael Feinberg 93 KIPP Academy, Houston, TX Wilma B. Rimes 96 Mabel B. Wesley Elementary, Houston, TX Appendices A: Educational Reform Models 99 B: Research Summaries 103 C: Suggested Titles for Further Reading 111 D: Definitions, Methods, and Procedure 115 Selected Bibliography 117 About the Author 121 9 vi Acknowledgments The original idea for this project was first conceived by Adam Meyerson. Without his regular guidance, the final product would be half what it is today. In addition, he supported this research with the full resources of The Heritage Foundation's Civil Society Project. In particular, Mary Siddall, Shawnna Matthews, and Hunter Campaigne are responsible for making the No Excuses Campaign a reality. Jill Abraham, Hans Allhoff, and John De Groot providedme invaluable help as research assistants. Their work runs throughout these pages. Several other peoplewhether through sustained helpor a single phone callcontributed enormously tomy understanding of the subject and pointed me in the right direction: Jeanne Allen, Ray Anderson, Tracey Bailey, Merrill Bargo, Stephanie Bell-Rose, Muriel Berkeley, Sue Bodilly, Peggy Brown, Doug Carnine, Maria Casilas, Linda Clarke, Wayne Comora, Wade Curry, Murray Dickman, Dick Elmer, Robert C. Embry, Jr., Checker Finn, Steven Fleischman, Howard Fuller, David Garcia, Tom Glennan, Garry Huggins, Joe Johnson, Richard Kohr, Howard Lappin, Gail Levin, Patti Likens, Kevin MacGulicutty, Bruno Manno, Mike McKeown, Hans Meeder, L. Scott Miller, Anita Nestor, Abner Oakes, Mike Petrilli, Chuck Pizer, Ben Rarick, Robb Rauh, Nina Shokraii Rees, Douglas Reeves, Lucille Remnick, Jerry Richardson, Ken Rolling, Jerry Silbert, Laurie Slobody, Tim Slocum, Teresa Staten, Jennifer Stevens, Sam Stringfield, Ron Tamas, Abigail Themstrom, Victoria Thorp, Mark Vignati, Mike Watson, Maurice Weavers, William Weichun, Amy Wilkins, Dary Winick, Kenneth K. Wong, and Cheri Yecke. Special thanks must also go to the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, which supports the Bradley Fellowsprogram at The Heritage Foundation. 1n VII Foreword A tenured teacher recently came to my office and told me, "These children can't learn. It's cultural." So, I looked at the lady, and I said, "You're coming from 72nd Street, all the way up to Harlem, to tell me that children of color cannot learn?" I said to her, "You've got two choices. Either resign or I'm going to fire you." And you know what, she left, quickly. Because I made her life miserable. I observed her every single day, and I told her she couldn't teach, and she had to go. And she left. Good principals know the union contract. Good principals weed out ineffective teachers. Gregory Hodge, principal Frederick Douglass Academy, Harlem Aristotle said that we can demonstrate the possible by studying the actual. This remarkable book by Samuel Casey Carter shows what is possible in the education of low-income children. The failure of most public schools to teach poor children is a national tragedy and a national disgrace. Fifty-eight percent of low-income 4th graders cannot read, and 61 percent of low-income 8th graders cannot do basic math. The magnitude of this educational malpractice is stagger- ing: Of the roughly 20 million low-income