The call-to-arms to "leave no child behind" in America has become popularly associated with the Bush administration's education plan - a plan that actually diverges greatly from the ideals of the Children's Defense Fund, which originated the concept. Here, in a bold and engaging new book, Dr. James Comer reclaims this now-famous exhortation as a tool for positive and substantive change. Far removed from the federal government's focus on standardized testing as the panacea for our educational ills, Dr. Comer's argument, drawn from his own experiences as the creator of the School Development Program, urges teachers, policymakers, and parents alike to work toward creating a new kind of school environment. In so doing, Dr. Comer reignites a crucial debate as he details the evolution and many successes of his School Development Program since its inception thirty-five years ago, and he illustrates how his model for change has proven effective in public schools throughout the country. Most important, he offers proof that students from all backgrounds can learn at a high level, adopt positive behavioural attitudes, and prepare for a fulfilling adult life, if they learn in schools that provide adequate support for their complete development - schools that know that leaving no child behind should be much more than just a convenient political slogan.

James P. Comer, M.D., is Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center and associate dean at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is the author or editor of many books and articles, including more than 150 articles for Parents magazine. Dr. Comer has served as a consultant to the Children's Television Workshop and the Public Committee on Mental Health and as a member of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

"Dr. Comer's work [is] thoughtful and necessary. It is not going too far to say that our schools, and our children, would be lost without him." Henry Louis Gates, Jr., from the foreword "... The definitive account of a remarkable - and remarkably successful - long-term program for educating all young persons. James Comer is one of the sanest and wisest educators of our time." Howard Gardner, author of Changing Minds and Intelligence Reframed "A very interesting and valuable book that argues for educational and societal commitment to the nurturing of child development." Marvin Berkowitz, Sanford N. McDonnell Professor of Character Education, University of Missouri-St. Louis."