Learn the secrets of successful schools Citing wisdom from top educational experts and building on what is already working, award-winning author Alan M. Blankstein offers tools for finding excellence in schools, scaling these practices across learning communities, and transforming low-performing schools into high-performing schools. His five-step process includes: Identifying and assessing excellence Creating an action plan Assigning resources such as time, materials, etc. Transferring excellence in the form of knowledge and skills throughout the school and district Sustaining the excellence Also included are effective strategies for sustaining student gains, closing gaps within and between schools, building leader capacity, and increasing community commitment.