Hope Against Hope

Hope Against Hope follows three individuals navigating New Orleans' radical education reforms in the years after Hurricane Katrina. The narrative tracks 14-year-old student Geraldlynn Stewart, veteran teacher Aidan Kelly, and young principal Mary Laurie as they experience the transformation of the city's public education system. The book documents New Orleans' shift to a charter school model and the impact on students, educators, and families during the 2010-2011 school year. Through intimate access to the daily lives and decisions of its subjects, Carr presents the human stories behind policy changes that turned New Orleans into the nation's first all-charter school district. Sarah Carr's reporting captures both the promise and complications of education reform through ground-level observation at schools across the city. The parallel stories reveal how high-stakes testing, school choice, and new education policies affect real people in an urban community. The book raises essential questions about equity, race, and the purpose of public education in America. Through its three intersecting narratives, it examines how communities balance the drive for academic achievement with the preservation of neighborhood schools and cultural traditions.

Readers found this examination of New Orleans education reform after Hurricane Katrina balanced and nuanced. The book follows three individuals through the school system transformation. What readers liked: - Deep reporting and research while maintaining readability - Personal stories that illustrate systemic issues - Fair treatment of multiple perspectives on charter schools - Clear explanations of complex education policy What readers disliked: - Some felt the narrative structure jumped around too much - A few wanted more concrete solutions proposed - Several noted the book ends without clear resolutions Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (226 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (43 ratings) Sample reader comments: "Captures the human impact of policy decisions" - Goodreads reviewer "Should be required reading for education reformers" - Amazon reviewer "Missing analysis of race and class factors" - Education Week reader review

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🎓 "Hope Against Hope" follows three distinct characters during the transformation of New Orleans' public schools into charter schools after Hurricane Katrina - the largest experiment in school choice in U.S. history. 📚 Author Sarah Carr spent more than a year shadowing a student, a teacher, and a principal to create an intimate portrayal of post-Katrina education reform. 🌊 By 2014, New Orleans became the first major U.S. city to have a school system made up almost entirely of charter schools, with over 90% of public school students attending charter schools. 👩‍🏫 The book highlights how many veteran African American teachers lost their jobs in the transition, as charter schools often hired younger, predominantly white teachers through programs like Teach for America. 🏆 "Hope Against Hope" was named one of the best education books of 2013 by both The Washington Post and Kirkus Reviews, and received the Peter Lang Book Award from the National Council of Teachers of English.