This book tells stories of life in a "failing" school. These are insider stories of the daily lives of children and educators in an urban school during a time when accountability weighs heavy on both teachers and students. Most educators are in favor of accountability. The kind and amount of testing associated with the current accountability movement, however, influence teachers' and students' lives in a way not often apparent to parents and politicians.

This book tells stories of life in a "failing" school. These are insider stories of the daily lives of children and educators in an urban school during a time when accountability weighs heavy on both teachers and students. Most educators are in favor of accountability. The kind and amount of testing associated with the current accountability movement, however, influence teachers' and students' lives in a way not often apparent to parents and politicians.