The next 90 minutes are the most precious of the Edison day. Families are urged not to make appointments for students during the reading block, and teachers are given release time only for emergencies. The whole school is focused on building reading skills with the Success for All program.

Students are grouped not by age but by reading ability. First and third graders, for example, work side by side on material that's right for them. The reading curriculum coordinator, a classroom teacher who has applied and been hired for this supervisory position, moves in and out of classrooms, observing instruction. Today the reading coordinator takes over a class for a teacher who would benefit from observing a colleague down the hall. By scheduling reading at the same time for all students, and through the guidance of the curriculum coordinator, the Edison model gives teachers the opportunity to learn from colleagues modeling instructional techniques-something seldom seen in most schools.

Students are assessed for reading at the start of the year and reassessed every eight weeks, to ensure the books they read provide the appropriate level of challenge. Since every teacher-including specialists who are certified in the subject-is teaching reading, class sizes are small, about 15-18 students in each multiage group. Pop in and out of classrooms and you'll see the same structure and routine during these 90 minutes, but children working with different content. The period begins with whole-group reading and listening comprehension exercises. Later, you'll see partners reading together and coaching each other. There's also small-group work, with teams engaged in literature activities. Students who need extra help, such as those reading below grade level, get mandatory tutoring during the day.