This book analyzes the achievement gap in education, examining the depth of the problem, the inadequacy of conventional explanations, and the limited impact of Title I, Head Start, and other familiar programs. It explains how, scattered across the country, there are excellent schools getting good results with high-needs students. These rare schools share a distinctive vision of what great schooling looks like and are free of many constraints that compromise education in traditional public schools. The book notes that in a society that espouses equal opportunity, there is still a racially identifiable group of educational "have-nots"--young African Americans and Latinos whose opportunities in life will almost inevitably be limited by their inadequate education. There are 13 chapters in five parts. Part 1, "The Problem," includes (1) "Left Behind" and (2) "Tests Matter." Part 2, "Great Teaching," offers (3) "Building Academic Skills" and (4) "Not by Math Alone." Part 3, "Culture Matters," focuses on (5) "Asians," (6) "Hispanics," and (7) "Blacks." Part 4, "The Conventional Wisdom," includes (8) "Send Money," (9) "Racial Isolation," and (10) "Teacher Quality." Part 5, "Serious Effort, Limited Results," offers (11) "Congress Strikes Out," (12) "Raising the Bar," and (13) "Roadblocks to Change." (Each chapter contains endnotes; includes an index.) (SM)