The Boston Plan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Public attention was recently drawn to a story about addiction--not to drugs as you might expect, but addiction to progress. An article about turnaround schools in Boston describes how everyone involved - teachers, parents and students - has been "addicted to progress", in the words of Lisa Lineweaver of the Boston Plan for Excellence, a local education fund.

In the city's worst performing schools, 6,000 students have flunked the state tests, predicting poor chances for making it in high school. Now teachers are aggressively working to raise scores and spirits in a new turnaround regimen.

The Plan facilitates data driven instruction and achievement numbers are charted for all kids individually on a "data wall" showing gaps in performance, while teams of teachers, assisted by volunteers -- City Year staff, and retirees from Generations Inc.-- are collaborating to help.

Students are reportedly hooked on mapping their own progress and a chart of 8th graders showed achievement up 39 points in 3 months. As one teacher put it—"half the battle is to get them to think they can."

Read more on the turnaround at BostonHerald.com.

Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio