About What Works

What Works

Many of the top-ranked industrialized nations address socio-economic disparities by providing wraparound services in schools to meet students’ health and social service needs. This is true even in nations with child poverty rates far lower than the United States’ 2011 rate of 23 percent.

Common sense, research and experience tell us that resources need to be directed to the schools and students with the greatest needs. Teachers need to be well prepared and supported. All students need a robust curriculum and access to high-quality, universal early childhood education. Parents and community members need to be welcomed as partners in our public schools. Students need to have multiple pathways to graduation that include career and technical education.


Further Reading

“A Model Lesson: Finland Shows Us What Equal Opportunity Looks Like,” Pasi Sahlberg

“Raising the Bar: Aligning and Elevating Teacher Preparation and the Profession,” AFT Teacher Preparation Task Force

“There’s No Such Thing as a Reading Test,” E.D. Hirsch and Robert Pondiscio

“Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Early Education Interventions on Cognitive and Social Development,” Gregory Camilli, Sadako Vargas, Sharon Ryan, W. Steven Barnett

“Community Schools Results,” Coalition for Community Schools