A match on dry grass: community organizing as a catalyst for school reform

Introduction: A new movement for equity and justice in education

How community organizing works

"A match on dry grass": organizing for great schools in San Jose

"An appetite for change": building relational cultures for educational reform and civic engagement in Los Angeles

"Our strength is the power of our community": political education and the continuation of the struggle in Denver

"Weaving a tapestry that won't unravel": the transformation of education in the Mississippi Delta

"Acts of leadership": building powerful forms of parent participation in Chicago

"Cement between the bricks": building schools and communities in New York City

Building power and relationships to transform communities and schools

Conclusion: Lessons for school reform and democracy building

Appendix: A collaborative research process.