The facts clearly show that closing failing high schools in New York City is working.

The one policy that has arguably done more to improve education outcomes for kids in New York City over the past decade has been the systematic effort to close the City’s giant failing high schools (i.e. drop out factories) and replace them with new, smaller high schools.

Yesterday, the Equity and Excellence Commission – an advisory committee chartered by Congress – issued a series of recommendations to Education Secretary Arne Duncan. The memo outlined federal policies that could help close the achievement gap and ensure all students across the country had an equal and fair shot at a quality education.

This summer, the Broad Center released 75 Examples of How Bureaucracy Stands in the Way of America’s Students and Teachers, highlighting how efforts to reform public schools across the country are often stopped short by the entrenched bureaucratic systems of large urban school districts. These bureaucratic challenges are significant and far-reaching. Too many of our students suffer under a system that disempowers teachers and principals, frustrates parents, prevents resources from reaching the classroom, and acts as a barrier to student success.