Urban Students Gain Victory in the Urban Classroom By Michael Casserly, Executive Director, Council of the Great City Schools Published in USA Today December 23, 1998 John Henry Stanford, former U.S. Army general who waged war against educational mediocrity as superintendent of one of the nations big-city school systems, often declared, "The victory is in the classroom." As Superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools, Stanford convinced and led an entire community to clear the minefields that our children must navigate to succeed and achieve at higher standards. "The general brought his own infectious brand of courage and optimism," said President Clinton of Stanford, who recently succumbed to leukemia after an eight-month battle. The youthful 60-year-old, non-traditional educator captured the imagination of one Great City with his enthusiasm, energy, leadership and passion for children, improving private support for public schools along the way. "Mr. Stanford redefined the job of urban school superintendent to encompass civic leadership, not just school administration," reported the Seattle Times. But John Henry Stanfords commitment to improving the academic achievement of our urban youth and his optimism in pursuing that goal are not unique. Urban educators all over the country share it, even when they have a long way to go before reaching their goals. The progress and optimism in Seattle coincide with signs of improvement in urban public school systems across America. A little noticed study--Critical Trends in Urban Education: A Poll of Americas Great City Schools--published earlier this year documented the budding optimism that those working in urban schools are beginning to feel, despite public perceptions about the hopelessness of their task. When Stanford took charge of Seattle Public Schools in 1995, only about 62 percent of big-city school leaders said they were optimistic about the future of urban schools. Today, the level of optimism has climbed to 82 percent. The renewed confidence comes with evidence of rising big-city school test scores, declining student dropout rates, and increasing voter support for bond issues to modernize aging, urban school buildings. School systems--not just individual schools--in San Francisco, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, Long Beach, Memphis, New York and many other cities are seeing higher student achievement. And voters in many of these communities, along with voters in Charlotte, Oakland, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle and Columbus, have responded by approving new operating levies and bonds. The progress has not been accidental. The Great City Schools have been working hard to implement the components of a growing national consensus about what it will take to improve urban schools: set high standards, strengthen teaching, improve discipline, instill accountability, involve the community, spend wisely, and do what works. There remain, of course, substantial and daunting challenges. Many of our children do not attain at high levels. Too many still drop out. Our efforts to secure stronger parent participation have not always been successful. But the newfound optimism and progress demonstrate that Americas urban public schools are heading in the right direction. As John Henry Stanford hoped, urban schools are beginning to score victories in the classroom--even though there are many more battles to fight. "The great lesson that John Stanford gave all Americans is that when people band together for the good of the children and adopt a positive can do spirit they can easily overcome the cynicism that too frequently defines the current debate on how to improve public education," said U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. You do not have to be an educator or live in a big city to put this lesson into practice. What Stanford believed and many other urban educators are saying is that we have not given up on our big-city schools and you shouldnt either. Optimism fuels action, and action fuels progress. The more Americans believe this, the more victories we will have in our urban classrooms.