What happens when troubled school districts attempt aggressive reform? Can an inexperienced and polarizing new hire get the job done? Or will a long-term school administrator have more success? We try to find out in this year-long series about the school revitalization and reform efforts in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans--two cities that can legitimately be described as "academically bankrupt."

This series of three reports takes a closer look at No Child Left Behind, the federal law passed in 2001 and up for reauthorization in 2007.

This series is the gripping story of one man's battle against an entrenched bureaucracy, a stubborn union, hostile politicians, budget deficits, and a deep-rooted belief that poor and minority children cannot achieve. Can he change the school system before it changes him?