The Prize

Starred review from June 8, 2015
Washington Post reporter Russakoff’s fascinating study of the struggle to reform the Newark school system reveals the inner workings of a wide range of systemic and grassroots problems (charter schools, testing, accountability, private donors) plaguing education reform today. In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million to help transform the schools of Newark, N.J., and create a national model of education reform. The move immediately sparked a series of competing political and social decisions for Mayor Cory Booker and Gov. Chris Christie. Russakoff sets up the struggle to control the schools with a big-money, top-down approach on one side and a teacher-based, student-by-student, bottom-up approach on the other. Her investigation shows how the powerful Booker-Christie-Zuckerberg triumvirate struggled to truly engage the community and ultimately failed to overcome the mighty Newark political machine. Russakoff accurately depicts individual teachers working in neighborhood schools and parents and staff in the charter system, including through their own words. She also tracks the progress of a student as he struggles to navigate the daily challenges presented by Newark’s school reforms. Booker’s mayoral successor, Ras Baraka, emerges as the anti-Booker, and Newark school superintendent Cami Anderson is left making the toughest of choices. Russakoff’s eagle-eyed view of the current state of the public education system in Newark and the United States is one of the finest education surveys in recent memory. Agent: Joëlle Delbourgo, Joëlle Delbourgo Associates.

July 1, 2015

It was an ambitious plan: to completely reorganize the school system in Newark, NJ. With three of the country's top movers and shakers (Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, then-Newark mayor Cory Booker, and NJ governor Chris Christie) leading the change and finding the funding, it looked like the dream of turning around one of the country's worst school districts was actually within reach. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, plenty. Key ingredients were missing. Teachers, parents, and students were not included in the planning, and they perceived this omission as disrespect, feared the changes, and felt helpless. Another major lacking component was a system for accountability of funds to insure the money got to where it was most needed; instead of funneling down where it would affect the children directly, funds were often used for salaries and bonuses for consultants. Former Washington Post reporter Russakoff shows how this endeavor ended up a fight between charter and district schools. Politics became an unexpected player in the process as, once again, the best way to meet the needs of the children fell by the wayside. VERDICT Russakoff tells the story well, stating the facts and presenting the issue without bias. This title will appeal to the casual reader as well as to those invested in the education of America's children. [See Prepub Alert, 3/9/15.]--Terry Christner, Hutchinson P.L., KS

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