"What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child must be what the community wants for all of its children. Any other idea for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon, it destroys our democracy." John Dewey, American educator and philosopher

January 2008 will mark the sixth anniversary of the federal legislation No Child Left Behind. Several Vista Unified School District schools with high poverty and high minority enrollments are beating the odds by helping students achieve academic success in both reading and math. Principals and teachers in these schools recognize that the NCLB timeline requires that "all" students reach proficiency in reading and math by 2013-14.

In order to meet NCLB's mandates, VUSD has identified more than 9,000 students in all grades and in every school who need immediate assistance in reading and/or mathematics.

During 2006-07, nearly 8,000 of these students were enrolled in researched-based reading instruction programs. An additional 600 students benefited from in-school reading clinics. These clinics are usually available only to parents who can afford to pay for them. By employing these aggressive tactics, educators have been successful in implementing new approaches to reading and mathematics and are very optimistic that the goals of NCLB will be met.

Our progress is illustrated by data revealing that in 2006-07 VUSD schools met 41 of the 42 criteria established for Adequate Yearly Progress, as required by the federal legislation.

In addition, NCLB targets 10 demographic subgroups -- such as Asian, Hispanic, White, English Language Learners and the Socioeconomically disadvantaged -- for improvements in reading. In our district, all significant subgroups raised their scores from between 11 and 28 points. In fact, it is the English Language Learner subgroup that made the greatest gains at 28 points.

Despite these positive trends, two schools did not make their targets for the fifth consecutive year. Our challenge is that VUSD has the most schools on 'Priority Improvement,' the lowest NCLB ranking. Of the 31 schools in North County with that label, 11 are in VUSD. That includes six of the seven lowest-performing schools. A notable exception is Monte Vista Elementary, the first VUSD school to be removed from the federal government's version of detention.

Educators face two main challenges in closing the achievement gap: improving language skills and changing assumptions about historically disadvantaged students.

In order for children to be prepared for success, they must learn English and emerge as proficient readers by the end of third grade. All students must have multiple opportunities to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the concepts being taught. Language development is to the child's brain growth and development as exercise is to the child's physical growth and development. Language proficiency plays the most promising role in achievement and overall academic success.

Educators must also change ingrained assumptions about children and their ability to learn. For too long, the achievement gap has been allowed to persist because of preconceptions based on gender, ethnicity and economic conditions. Children are more alike than different and must be viewed "at potential of succeeding" rather than "at risk of failing."

Everyone -- teachers, principals and parents -- has opportunities to develop sustainable, systemic solutions for closing the achievement gaps.

Teachers must believe that all children can learn at high levels, which sets the stage for full implementation of NCLB legislation.They must also continue to provide intensive interventions with multiple opportunities for all students to become proficient and advanced.

Principals must provide parents with multiple opportunities to develop mutually rewarding relationships with teachers. For example, administrators and teachers at VUSD are building more positive relationships with parents by hosting workshops for family literacy and reviewing academic requirements. Parents are invited to be school partners by supporting student homework expectations. They are also provided other opportunities that will lead to improved student attendance and achievement.

The expectation for the past five years has been for 25 percent of the students to achieve proficiency. Beginning in 2007, the goal was for 35 percent of the students to meet the NCLB goals. Vista Unified's goal is that 100 percent of its students achieve grade level requirements every year.

I encourage everyone in the community to support the successful programs that we have initiated in the Vista Unified School District. Indeed, as John Dewey said, our very future rests in educating all of our students.

Joyce Ford Bales is superintendent of Vista Unified School District.