Kati Haycock, interviewed by Alan Borsuk:

Q. The gap is a huge issue in Milwaukee. What would you do if you had full power to do something about things here?
A. When we look at the districts that are making the biggest gains, in terms of both overall achievement and narrowing gaps between groups, what seems to set them apart is their focus. They have very, very clear and high goals for kids. They focus a lot on instruction.

More on Kati Haycock.