The Time Is Right To Improve Our Worst Schools | Teachers College Columbia University

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The Time Is Right To Improve Our Worst Schools

We live in a time when people rightfully have become skeptical about the political process and the possibilities for moving beyond rhetoric to action. Yet, every now and then forces align themselves in ways that permit substantive change.
We live in a time when people rightfully have become skeptical about the political process and the possibilities for moving beyond rhetoric to action. Yet, every now and then forces align themselves in ways that permit substantive change.

In New York City we have just such a moment before us - an opportunity to dramatically improve our public school system by addressing the issue that has limited the possibilities of vast numbers of low-income and disadvantaged children.

That issue is the dearth of highly skilled, experienced teachers where they are needed most: in the city's worst schools. Some 60 percent of our city's low-performing students are concentrated in just one-third of our schools, nearly all of them in high-poverty areas. The prospect of failure in these schools is so overwhelming that teacher turnover is constant.

This article, written by Arthur Levine, President of Teachers College, and Darlyne Bailey, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Teachers College, appeared in the September 13th, 2005 publication of Newsday.

Published Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2005

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