Educational resilience is defined as the heightened likelihood of success in school and in other life accomplishments, despite environmental adversities. This paper summarizes the concept of resilience as it has been advanced in developmental psychopathology and discusses educationally relevant research that is consonant with the definition of educational resilience. The focus is on conditions amenable to change within communities, homes, student peer groups, schools, and classrooms. Research has found that some children escape adversity without lasting damage, and that the active role of the individual is an important factor in survival. Resilient children have been observed to perceive experiences constructively and to have a clear sense of purpose about their future agency in controlling their own fates. Only a few studies have provided direct evidence on whether a particular set of school characteristics is effective in fostering student resilience in inner city schools, but schools that emphasize student involvement and belonging have been found to offer protection against adversity. Characteristics of communities that foster resilience are also those that promote a sense of involvement. Fostering resilience requires parent and teacher involvement and peer support to increase the protection against adverse influences. Research to identify the specific practices and policies that foster resilience is needed to design effective interventions. (Contains 110 references.) (SLD)