The purposes of this research were (1) to describe urban teachers' understandings of the political, economic, cultural, and educational forces that explain the low achievement of many of their students; and (2) to describe their subsequent actions with students, colleagues, and/or school community to affect equitable educational opportunities for their students. The researchers used systematic qualitative methodology and inductive analysis for this study. Participants include fifty-six elementary and secondary science and/or mathematics teachers who began the program with a course, "Contemporary Issues in Urban Education." Teachers demonstrated various levels of understanding of the inequitable power relationships that contribute to the low achievement of many urban students. Likewise, they demonstrated various levels of self-efficacy as change agents in the lives of their students.