There's no formula. But there are consistent themes that have emerged from the Monitor's six-part series on this issue. Smaller is better. Many successful public charter schools start small, try to define a purpose for the school, and make sure that students and their families sign on to that purpose. Student Loan Tran starts an assignment.
Teachers say that smaller groups can help kids feel included.
This small-class advantage is particularly strong for black students. Distinctions are blurring between public and private schools. Entrepreneurs are playing a bigger role in public schools, from supplying extra instruction to managing whole schools. And momentum is building in some states to help kids exit failing schools through tax credits or publicly funded vouchers. Last week, Florida lawmakers agreed on a plan for the first statewide government vouchers for students at schools that twice failed statewide tests.