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Our friends at ASCD's Whole Child Initiative just fired off an email newsletter describing the astonishing success of Thomas Edison Elementary School in Port Chester, New York.  (School success seems to be contagious in Port Chester, whose middle school has won national acclaim for similar strides in the past 10 years.)

Edison owes its achievements to an education approach that addresses the social, physical and academic needs of its largely poor student body.  To quote ASCD's newsletter:

In 1999 only 19 percent of 4th graders at Edison passed the state English Language Arts assessment, and fewer than 23 percent of students had health insurance. Today all students receive health screenings, dental care, vaccinations, and prescriptions at a school-based health center and, through support to their families, 94 percent are insured. Teachers are supported through a professional development relationship with Manhattanville College and by a two-year mentoring program. Over 75 percent of families participate in schoolwide events, including large numbers of new immigrant families specifically supported through a weekly event called "La Segunda Taza de Cafe." In 2006, 93 percent of Edison 4th graders passed New York state assessments in English Language Arts, and 89 percent passed in mathematics

(You can read more about this remarkable school in last month's issue of Educational Leadership).  While inspiring, the Edison story shouldn't really surprise us.  The effects of poverty often inhibit learning.  Schools and communities that work together to mitigate these effects remove barriers to academic achievement and clear the way for a more productive focus on teaching and learning.