Raising the Curve: A Year Inside One of America’s 45,000* Failing Public Schools

Brookside Elementary in Norwalk, Connecticut is preparing for the first day of a new school year, and another chance to improve its failing scores on the statewide standardized tests known as CMT. The challenges are many, and for the faculty–whose jobs may depend on their students’ ability to improve on the test–the stakes are high. Ten-year-old Hydea is about to start fifth grade–with second grade reading skills. Her friend Marbella is a little further along, but she’s more interested in socializing than learning. And then there’s Matthew, a second grader who began the school year below grade level and who, over the course of the year, slipped even more. In past years, these three students and many others would have received help from the literary specialist, Mrs. Schaefer. But with cutbacks and a change in her job description, the third in as many years, she won’t be able to give the struggling students the same attention. This year, she will have to select the few students who she and the teachers can bet on–the ones who are close to achieving proficiency on the CMT. Though not ideal, the hope is that this strategy will give the kids the boost theyand the school–need to pass the exams. And for added measure, Principle Hay has already asked his faculty to teach to the test. Journalist Ron Berler spent a full year at Brookside (in Norwalk, CT), sitting in on classes, strategy sessions–even faculty meetings. He got to know the students, teachers, and staff who make up the Brookside community. Berler captures a personal portrait, with all the struggle, resilience, pride and conflict of one of America’s failing public schools. Brookside Elementary in Norwalk, Connecticut, is preparing for a new school year and another chance to improve its failing scores on the statewide standardized test known as the CMT. The challenges are many, and for the faculty-whose jobs may depend on their students’ ability to improve on the test-the stakes are high. Ten-year-old Hydea is about to start fifth grade with second-grade reading skills. Her friend Marbella is only a little further along. In past years, these students would have received help from the literacy specialist Mrs. Schaefer. But this year, due to cutbacks and a change in job description, she will have to select the few students whom she and the teachers can bet on-the ones who are close to passing the exams. And, for added measure, Principal Hay has already asked his faculty to teach to the test. Journalist Ron Berler spent a full year at Brookside. In Raising the Curve, he offers a nuanced and personal portrait of the students, teachers, and staff who make up the Brookside community, capturing their struggles as well as their pride, resilience, and spirited faith.