Things haven't always turned out as planned. Neither has the district tried whatever it could, willy-nilly, in hope of finding something that works. Cohn insists on accountability. That is part of the collaboration. District officials willing to act decisively and deliver results earn the trust of their partners.
Public confidence builds.
Cohn tells a story, about his own education, one of six children, the son of a mother on welfare and a father in prison, who encountered a nun determined to give a young student the tools he needed to succeed. You can even be discouraged listening to him, figuring what a rare bird, something of the exception that proves the rule of struggling urban schools. Then, you return to the point of his story. Long Beach has achieved what it has because it has been truly determined to give children the tools they need. Douglas is the Beacon Journal associate editor.