This 2009 report, written for the Center on Innovation and Improvement, provides five brief profiles of schools that dramatically improved student performance and successfully restructured under federal accountability systems.  All five schools failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for several consecutive years, and—once in restructuring—had to chart a course to overhaul the way their schools operated.  Featuring two large-district, urban schools, two small-district urban/suburban schools, and a rural school in a variety of grade configurations, these stories highlight the reasons for persistent low performance, the chosen restructuring options, key actions taken, and the results.  Although this report does not provide conclusive evidence for the efficacy of specific restructuring approaches, it does demonstrate that successful improvement of long-failing schools is possible, and contributes to the broader body of school restructuring and turnaround stories that may support future research in effective turnaround practices.

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