These two forces often go together. Consider the leaders at Chicago Public Schools. In the beginning, what held back work on the graduation rate was problem blindness: Yes, a lot of students drop out—that’s just the way it is. On top of that, though, was the sense among some teachers and administrators that, even if the poor graduation rate was a problem, it wasn’t theirs to fix: It’s the kids’ problem to fix. Or their parents’. Or society’s.
