Participants were 34 academically at-risk eighthgrade
students attending two low-performing,
inner-city public middle schools in New York City.
The two schools were comparable and served
similar populations. The percentages of the student
body meeting state standards in math were 17% in
one school and 3% in the other. Percentages meeting
state standards in reading were 28% and 10% in the
two schools, respectively. Percentages of students
qualifying for free lunch were 91% in one school and
72% in the other. Of the 34 participants, 14 were