Responding to the needs of the whole child: A case study of a high-performing elementary school for immigrant children

Changes in the demography of the nation's public schools are occurring at a dramatic pace. In states such as California, Texas, and Florida, new immigrants comprise more than a third of the student population. In major cities such as New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, they comprise more than 40% of the student population. Similar changes are occurring in small towns and rural areas throughout the country. This article examines (a) how Washington Elementary, a suburban school, has responded to these dramatic demographic changes; and (b) why this particular school has produced dramatic academic success among immigrant students when so many other suburban schools have not. This article focuses on understanding the school's practices and their implications for literacy achievement. It focuses on whether the interaction between organizational and programmatic practices and the implementation of these reform practices produced a transformative effect upon the school and student learning.