A first factor is a focus on basic skills, and a commitment to the idea that every child can master them as long as she, and her teacher, expends enough effort on it. This is the fundamental principle behind the Pratham program, but it is also an attitude that is encapsulated by the “no excuse” charter schools in the United States.37 These schools, such as the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) schools, the Harlem Children’s Zone, and others, mainly cater to students from poor families (particularly black children), with a curriculum that focuses on the solid acquisition of basic skills and
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