In New York City, Chancellor Klein states, segregation still exists, and African-American and Hispanic children are not learning what they need to know.:
"Only about 9% of the African-American and Latino students who entered high school in 1998 graduated four years later with a Regents diploma, and only about an additional 30% received a so-called local diploma, which is based on lower standards and which the State of New York is committed to eliminating. In short, put generously, about 6 of 10 of our African-American and Latino students are leaving school unprepared.

This is tragic. This is unjust. And this is a terrible waste of the young talent this country needs.

Fixing this is, in my view, our nation's greatest domestic challenge. And it can be done. I know. The Education Trust has highlighted examples of high poverty, high achieving schools across the country. I've been in some of those schools right here in New York City. Schools like P.S. 172 -- the Gowanus School in Brooklyn -- and the Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice, where last year the pass rate for Regents, US History and Government, improved to 90%.

But let's be candid: transforming our schools will not be easy. It will take coming together as a city. But if we are prepared for bold initiatives, and if we can put the public interest above more parochial interests, we can create a system of schools in New York City where each and every school is one that we would be proud to claim for our own children. We must create schools that are safe, with respectful environments, where principals and teachers communicate a focus on learning and high expectations for students. In these schools, students are engaged and learning.