Vorab-RezensentenJay Mathews

When teachers Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin first created KIPP (the Knowledge Is Power Program) in Houston, little did they know it would grow to sixty-six schools in nineteen states and the District of Columbia, and that it would change thousands of kids’ lives—and possibly the U.S. approach to education. Award-winning education reporter Jay Mathews tells their story. "An inspiring look at how KIPP has accomplished these amazing results and the barriers they faced." —Bill Gates, 2009 annual letter “Fast-paced, engrossing and heartening. . . . In Mathews’s telling, it’s hard not to love these guys” —Washington Post “The most comprehensive and authoritative account yet of KIPP's inception and vision.” —Andy Rotherham, former education adviser to President Clinton and co-founder, Education Sector “This book should be read by everyone who cares about education in our country.” —Richard W. Riley, former Secretary of Education

When Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin signed up for Teach for America right after college, they quickly realized they were in over their heads. But they were determined to learn how best to teach their low-income at-risk students. Observing the methods of extraordinary teachers and eventually developing their own unconventional classroom model, these two young men overcame the obstacles, challenged the statistics, and revamped their classrooms into successful learning centers. The result: an exhilarating fifth-grade program that encouraged them to create a nationwide network of middle schools called the KNOWLEDGE IS POWER PROGRAM (KIPP). Along the way many people said it couldn’t be done, but Mike and Dave stayed true to their belief that with high expectations, lively classrooms, and involved teachers, inner-city kids could learn just as well as middle income kids. In this true story of unusual dedication and an inspired vision, Washington Post journalist Jay Mathews delivers an uplifting account that gives us hope for the future of American education.