The latest Gates-funded MDRC study of small high schools in New York City has stimulated an outstanding debate which could inform a discussion of best ways to turnaround schools, as long as those conversations remain intellectually honest. GothamSchools' Geoff Decker quoted the study's co-author, Howard Bloom, who argued that " these new schools made a positive change for a very large population of highly-disadvantaged students." The Coalition for Educational Justice, however, makes an equally compelling case that, "the new small schools are producing higher graduation rates, [but] it is not clear that these schools serve the same population.” Then, MDRC's Bloom, replied that the two papers’ were
