American public schools are in crisis. Schools across America are grasping to change curriculum, build learning communities, and increase teacher accountability to meet the moving target of the demands placed on them by "No Child Left Behind." As the deadline of 2014 grows nearer with every passing year, accountability standards increase as do those for American students and our public schools. The primary focus of the study was to explore the effect of a small learning community's reform on two components in the Adequate Yearly Progress Report by which Texas schools are measured: dropout rates and scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test. Literature supporting the research questions proposed was examined and reviewed as relevant to the topics of reform, dropout rates, and state assessment. Students who attended any Texas public school and enrolled in regular education during the academic years of 2003 to 2008 will serve as the population of interest for this study. The demographics of the particular study sample included students who were considered economically disadvantaged, English language learners, regular and special education students who attended one urban high school in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). Data acquired from the Texas Education Agency allowed for the analysis of the research questions in this study. To test the hypotheses, a nonparametric test of statistical significance, chi-square, was conducted. Upon conclusion of the statistical procedures, recommendations and suggestions regarding high school reform were made. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]