Waiting for a Miracle: Why Schools Can't Solve our Problems--And How We Can

By James P. Comer
Plume, A Division of The Penguin Group, New York, 1998.

In this book, Dr. James Comer contends that the deteriorated state of America's public schools is a reflection of problems at our cultural core that must be addressed simultaneously with school change. He discusses the causes of these problems and presents a viable approach to resolving them, an approach that focuses on the crucial roles of children, family, and community.

Beginning with his own experiences as an African-American child growing up poor, Dr. Comer draws on more than thirty years of community involvement and educational commitment to show how we can make our schools the most important instrument of change. Using examples from his own successful strategies for troubled schools, he provides a detailed blueprint of how sensitively designed programs can and have already begun to make dramatic differences in schools and classrooms.