¡Si Se Puede! Learning from a High School That Beats the Odds

by Ursula Casanova

This is the story of Cibola High School, a remarkable public school that set itself a daring every one of its students would not just graduate, but would continue on to postsecondary education. With that goal in mind, the teachers, administrators, and counselors created a unique environment that provided the support necessary for students to realize their ambitions. No flash in the pan, Cibola High School has been meeting its goal for over 20 graduations. Opened to serve an expanding district, Cibola is located across the border from Mexico. The majority of its students receive free lunch, and 74% of its population consists of Latino(a) students, many of them recent immigrants. Through anecdotes and the voices of teachers, school leaders, and students, this book shows the process that has, year-in and year-out, produced results and defied the low expectations that such demographic data predict. Based on an analysis of extensive interviews and research, the author identifies and explores five critical elements associated with the success of this With our national dropout pandemic, this is a book with implications not just for schools with high Latino(a) populations but for all high schools throughout the nation. “I know it will make a difference in how we talk about the education of Latinos.”
— Sonia Nieto , University of Massachusetts, Amherst
“This is the kind of story that our teachers need to know to expand their own perspectives about the possibility of educating all students.”
—From the Foreword by Gloria Ladson-Billings , University of Wisconsin-Madison
"Five hundred years ago, the Conquistadors searched for the City of Gold in what is now the American Southwest. They never found it. Ứrsula Casanova has discovered and mapped an educational El Dorado lying at the mouth of the Colorado River. Follow her directions."
— Gene V Glass , regents' professor, Arizona State University

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published June 25, 2010

Reviews

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for one of my graduate classes. Not my favorite, but it was a good story just the execution was dull