Overview

A sober yet encouraging look at how urban public schools have confronted challenges, defied expectations, and continued to improve In The Enduring Promise of America’s Great City Schools, Michael Casserly presents a forthright assessment of the past performance and future potential of large urban PreK–12 school districts in the United States. From a vantage of nearly five decades of work within the Council of the Great City Schools, which now represents seventy-eight of the nation’s largest urban public school districts, Casserly expertly distills data on student performance, school enrollment, and the impact of strategic reforms to draw a balanced picture of progress and setbacks in urban schools. Casserly contends that America’s urban public schools have played a critical role in expanding democracy, advancing equity, and enhancing opportunities, especially for students from historically underserved groups. He illustrates how urban school leaders have proven themselves adept at handling crises, including the global pandemic. The book outlines the many strengths of large urban districts: they were early adopters of the college and career-ready standards, stalwart supporters of reforms that raised expectations for their students, and engineers of instructional and systems improvements that have led to landmark gains in both math and reading achievement. Casserly leaves readers with thoughts on organizational change in the wake of declining enrollment and funding, among other challenges in education, confident that urban districts will continue to be architects of their own improvement.

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9781682539316

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Reviews

""Education activist Casserly makes a case for the utility of urban public schools. America's ""great city schools,"" writes Casserly, have made measurable improvements in the last three or so decades, including increasing the graduation rate from about 65% in 1990 to about 80% in 2023, which ""swelled the ranks of higher education and contributed substantially to the nation's economy."" Many schools have exceeded the expected outcomes in mathematics, reading, and other academic areas. For all that, as Casserly observes, urban schools have faced tremendous challenges...he delivers a persuasive argument for supporting public education against its many discontents, always with an eye on what's best for the children being served."" https: //www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michael-casserly/the-enduring-promise-of-americas-great-city-schools/--Kirkus, Kirkus

""Casserly offers a candid evaluation of urban PreK-12 school districts with his more than 50 years of experience. This insightful and honest book documents decades of reform with accuracy, highlights pitfalls, and provides guidance for the road ahead, underscoring the challenges faced, achievements made, and the promising future of public education in America's urban centers. This is a must-read for every urban public school educator, administrator, and policymaker.""--Janice K. Jackson, CEO, Hope Chicago, and former CEO, Chicago Public Schools ""Education activist Casserly makes a case for the utility of urban public schools. America's ""great city schools,"" writes Casserly, have made measurable improvements in the last three or so decades, including increasing the graduation rate from about 65% in 1990 to about 80% in 2023, which ""swelled the ranks of higher education and contributed substantially to the nation's economy."" Many schools have exceeded the expected outcomes in mathematics, reading, and other academic areas. For all that, as Casserly observes, urban schools have faced tremendous challenges...he delivers a persuasive argument for supporting public education against its many discontents, always with an eye on what's best for the children being served."" Continue reading: https: //www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michael-casserly/the-enduring-promise-of-americas-great-city-schools/--Kirkus, Kirkus ""Michael Casserly's book is a powerful testament to the role of public education in American democracy. Drawing on his extensive experience with the Council of the Great City Schools, Casserly distills the many lessons learned by large school district superintendents into profound insights and a compelling vision. This is an essential read for anyone committed to the future of education in America.""--Alberto M. Carvalho, superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District, and former superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools ""When I led DC Public Schools, I always looked to Mike Casserly to help answer the hardest questions. With this book, he provides us all the opportunity to benefit from his insights. Nobody understands better what our schools are doing well, why they sometimes struggle, and why we should all have great hope for our city schools.""--Kaya Henderson, CEO, Reconstruction, and former chancellor, District of Columbia Public Schools

Author Information

Michael Casserly served for thirty years as the executive director of the Council of the Great City Schools, the nation’s primary coalition of large urban school districts. Over the decades, he worked directly with the nation’s urban school leaders on many of their most difficult challenges.

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