Acknowledgments.

The Coalition of Essential Schools and the CES Small Schools Project.

The Authors

Introduction: An Academically Challenging Education for All.

Part One: Setting the Stage for Transformation.

1. A Commitment to Equity.

2. Confronting the Challenges.

3. Creating the Climate and Conditions for Change.

Part Two: Essential Principles for School Design.

4. Starting with Vision, Mission, and Goals.

5. Transformative Leadership.

6. Cultivating Professional Learning Opportunities.

Part Three: Essential Principles for Learning.

7. Student-Centered Teaching and Learning.

8. Demonstration of Mastery.

9. Access, Opportunity, and Preparation for Postsecondary Success.

Part Four: Embedding Successful Change.

10. School Culture, Practices, and Community.

11. Strategies for Sustainability.

Appendix A: Coalition of Essential Schools Common Principles.

Appendix B: Coalition of Essential Schools Benchmarks: Principles in Practice.

Appendix C: Profiled Schools and Organizations.

Appendix D: The Benefits of the CES Model: A Look at Recent Research.

Appendix E: Glossary of Useful Assessment Terms.

References.

Index.