It was hot and humid on the day of our visit to IS 192, and most children sat lethargically agonizing about the weather. "It's too hot to work," said one student who laid his head on his desk in one of the many rooms in the building without air-conditioning. Other students also rested, while some stood near the window hoping to catch a breeze, and many classrooms had turned the lights off to keep the heat at bay. Other misbehavior and student work signaled, however, that it's not just on hot days that too little learning takes place.. . .

"I attended I.S. 192 when it was called the Linden Middle School in 1998-1999 when I was in the 6th grade and when the name was changed to the Renaissance Middle School in 2000-2001 when I was... read more