The bottom line, they say, is that no one knows for sure. Poverty doesn t explain it all. Nor peer pressure. Preschoolers from single-parent families can do as well as others. Parenting plays a big role.
Teacher quality is number one.
Even the American Federation of Teachers advocates tougher professional standards. Long-term leadership with high expectations and solid, consistent implementation of curricular programs is more important than the programs themselves. Montgomery County, Maryland focuses on reading skills. Principals and teachers are retrained. There s a 90- minute daily reading block.