What does it take to give students a first-rate education? The striking achievement of Union City, N.J. — bringing very poor, mostly immigrant Latino kids into the educational mainstream — argues for reinventing our public schools into caring, hard-working communities. Author David Kirp’s latest book, Improbable Scholars: The Rebirth of a Great American School District and a Strategy for America's Schools, centers on the remarkable success of a school district five miles and a light year away from Washington Square. Preschool for all, dual language training, "word-soaked classrooms" and strong parent partnerships have all helped make the difference there. What about in New York City?

A presentation by: David Kirp, professor of public policy, University of California-Berkeley, and author, Improbable Scholars: The Rebirth of a Great American School District and a Strategy for America's Schools

Followed by a conversaton with: Clara Hemphill, founder, Insideschools.org, and senior editor, Center for New York City Affairs at The New School Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, assistant professor of history and co-chair of education studies, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, The New School