Five years ago this autumn, the Coalition of Essential Schools was launched. To mark the occasion the editor of HORACE talked with the Coalition’s founder, Theodore Sizer, on where the effort stands today, asking him to assess its accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead. We started not by self- congratulation but by looking critically at the ways of change,
1. Attendance and Drop-out Rates Central Park East Secondary School: Central Park East Secondary School attendance rate, 1988-89: 91% New York City Public Schools official attendance rate, 1988-89: 79% Central Park East Secondary School drop-out rate, 1988-89: 0% New York City Public Schools official drop out rate, 1988-89: 26.8% Hope High School: Hope Essential School attendance rate, 1986-88: 87% Hope