The Hard Truth

Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction

Chapter One: The Leadership Void in Today’s Urban Schools

• Courageous Leadership

Chapter Two: Conflict and Friction

• The Process for Resolving Conflicts

Chapter Three: Individual Entrapments

Chapter Four: Learn the School’s Culture (Before Trying to Improve It)

• Gathering Information

Chapter Five: Irate Parents

• Parental Engagement

Chapter Six: Troublemakers on the Staff

• Diehard Reform Antagonist
• The Process
• Applying Progressive Discipline

Chapter Seven: Stagnation and Inefficiency

• Disrupt Their Routines
• Give Deadlines for Completing Tasks

Chapter Eight: Disruptive Students

• The Process
• Create a School-Wide Discipline Plan

Chapter Nine: Academic Instruction

• Hiring the “Right” Teachers
• Provide Teachers with Adequate Support

Chapter Ten: Standardized Testing

• Learn All the Parameters of the Test
• Create Two Testing Cohorts
• Align the Standards
• Schedule a Pre-test Date
• Hire a Testing Coordinator
• Establish a Before- or After-School Tutoring Program
• The Principal’s Actions

Chapter Eleven: Central Office Staff

Chapter Twelve: The School’s Budget

Chapter Thirteen: Social Media

Chapter Fourteen: Practice Self-Reflection

• Reflect on Past Events
• Be Honest with Yourself

This book is appropriately titled. Dr. Yisrael tells it like it is without watering it down. This is one of the poignant books about urban school reform that I’ve ever read.