ABSTRACT
This chapter tells a story about Success for All (SFA), as it was adopted and expanded in one large inner-city district, Memphis City Schools (MCS). In educational meetings and publications, one hears many stories about “successful” and “innovative” new programs that dramatically improved conditions and achievement at particular schools. Such stories make pleasant reading and buoy the spirits, but they frequently lack two essential qualities that make the Memphis experience unique. One feature is its durability and longevity-a program that has evolved in the school district for 9 years and, most importantly, has continually demonstrated positive impacts on student achievement. The second essential feature is valid research data to confirm that the program is working. The Memphis “story” thus consists of multiple chapters and its genre is nonfiction.
