Includes bibliographical references (pages 107-115) and index.
Contents
Introduction -- Education is for readers only -- The instructional problems facing New Jersey's city schools are mirrored in cities across the nation -- The Abbott decisions set the stage for attacking the achievement gap -- Switching the priority from compliance with court mandates to promoting early literacy -- Providing quality preschool is not child's play -- New Jersey judicial mandates versus the drive to improve classroom instruction -- Districts must lead if academic performance is to improve -- Special education students and English-language learners -- Lessons learned in attempting to close the achievement gap.