The U.S. secretary of education's call to "turn around" the nation's 5,000 worst-performing schools has found a warm welcome among educators and policymakers who see that focus as long overdue. But it has also sparked debate about how--and whether--such an enormous leadership and management challenge can be accomplished. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is pressing for attention to chronically underperforming schools as one of four areas that states must address if they are to receive federal economic-stimulus aid. The federal government is dangling a lot of money for school turnaround work. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed by Congress at the urging of the U.S. President in an effort to spur the nation's economy, includes $3.5 billion for the Title I school improvement grant program. The current fiscal year's budget includes $545 million specifically for low-performing schools, and the Obama administration has requested another $1.5 billion for that purpose in the fiscal 2010 budget. Regardless of the debate over how best to turn around schools, organizations of many stripes are responding to the call. Even with its risks and challenges, many see the high-visibility call for school turnarounds as an unprecedented opportunity. Four basic "turnaround strategies," outlined by Duncan in a June 22 speech, are described.