High-Poverty, High-Achieving Schools

In their Saturday session, William Parrett and Kathleen Budge focused on "Poverty and Underachievement: How Schools and Districts Lead Students to Success." Their research shows that schools that are high-poverty and high-achieving have a common factor that stands out: a professional accountability for learning.

Every person in the school has a "relentless responsibility for kids' learning. They exhibit a courage and willingness to take action and attempt to influence every sphere that touches a child's life—the classroom, the school, the district. The most successful schools also reach out to families and communities," they said.

They pose the question—Why don't we implement what we know works?