Using the inspiration – and methodology – of Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great," the study identified 12 Arizona schools with mostly low-income, mostly Latino students that were “beating the odds” on reading and math scores.

After comparing them to other schools that were similar in everything but performance, CFA found six keys to success that describe the characteristics of the more successful schools.

The things that successful schools do are similar to the characteristics and practices of any effective organization, says Jim Collins. That is not to say that it’s easy to embed these principles and practices into the school culture. But it can be done.

The Beat the Odds Institute was established to support the efforts of Arizona educators to achieve significantly higher results in “achievement per student” regardless of school demographics.

Learn more about the original 12 schools that “beat the odds” on reading and math scores.  The following links offer a quick snapshot.

School	Geography	Grades Served
Third-Grade Reading – Improving
Alice Byrne	Small Metropolitan Area – Yuma	K-6
Clawson	Small City – Douglas	K-5
John F. Kennedy	Small Town – Superior	K-6
Orange Grove	Small Town/Small Metropolitan Area – Somerton/Yuma	K-5
Eighth-Grade Math – Improving
Estrella	Large Metropolitan Area - Phoenix	7-8
Granada Easty	Large Metropolitan Area - Phoenix	4-8
Larry C. Kennedy	Large Metropolitan Area - Phoenix	K-8
Sierra Middle	Medium Metropolitan Area - Tucson	6-8
Wade Carpenter	Small City - Nogales	6-8
Consistently Strong
Fairbanks (for third-grade reading)	Small Town - Morenci	K-6
Gallego Basic (for third-grade reading)y	Medium Metropolitan Area - Tucson	K-5
Phoenix Magnet Traditional (for third-grade reading and eighth-grade math)	Large Metropolitan Area - Phoenix	K-8