But the bigger thing was we had kids who went from being the problem kid, the one who was being put out of class, to become the I'm-working-hard kid, the one staying after school for more help.
We are pretty intent on opening more campuses in North Carolina because the achievement gap is so great, whether you are talking about the difference between blacks and whites or the difference between eastern North Carolina and Chapel Hill.
We saw kids blossom in our classes and then they were pregnant by ninth grade and not going to college.
So far we have kept the promise. But the dream isn't fully realized until the first group in 2009 heads off to college.
If kids are behind, they need more time in school. We have kids who come to us in fifth grade as nonreaders. We had kids who come to us with parole officers. Now they are in algebra II and Spanish II.
