No Excuses Finish School

Tommy thought about dropping out, and he wanted to avoid finishing school. However, he decided to complete it. This is his advice and best advice for everyone.

Black and Hispanic students are not learning enough in our public schools, and their typically poor performance is the most important source of ongoing racial inequality in America today—thus, say Abigail and Stephan Thernstrom, the racial gap in school achievement is the nation's most critical civil rights issue and an educational crisis; it's no wonder that "No Child Left Behind," the 2001 revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, made closing the racial gap in education its central goal. An employer hiring the typical Black high school graduate or the college that admits the average Black student is choosing a youngster who has only an eighth-grade education. In most subjects, the majority of twelfth-grade Black students do not have even a "partial mastery" of the skills and knowledge that the authoritative National Assessment of Educational Progress calls "fundamental for proficient work" at their grade. No Excuses marshals facts to examine the depth of the problem, the inadequacy of conventional explanations, and the limited impact of Title I, Head Start, and other familiar reforms. Its message, however, is one of hope: Scattered across the country are excellent schools getting terrific results with high-needs kids. These rare schools share a distinctive vision of what great schooling looks like and are free of many of the constraints that compromise education in traditional public schools. In a society that espouses equal opportunity we still have a racially identifiable group of educational have-nots—young African Americans and Latinos whose opportunities in life will almost inevitably be limited by their inadequate education. When students leave high school without high school skills, their futures—and that of the nation—are in jeopardy. With successful schools already showing the way, no decent society can continue to turn a blind eye to such racial and ethnic inequality.

"All children can learn. The principals and schools profiled in this book have overcome the bureaucratic and cultural obstacles that keep low-income children behind in most public schools. No Excuses schools have created a culture of achievement among children whom most public schools would condemn to a life of failure."--Foreword, p. 1-2.

"Eye-popping" – Sunday Times "Brilliant" – Iain Dale *** An unputdownable true account of how a tenacious head teacher led one of the most challenging schools in the country to excellence. No Excuses charts an extraordinary principal's journey from the moment she took over at a failing secondary school in a deprived area, where less than a quarter of children attained five or more A*–C GCSEs, and how she set about the gruelling task of transforming its reputation using her zero-tolerance, tough-love approach. Armed only with a wicked sense of humour, fearless energy and a powerful vision, Alison Colwell put in place a stringent set of rules, including a strict uniform policy and a complete ban on mobile phones, provoking resistance and hostility from some parents, the wider community and on social media. This is the darkly funny, moving story of how, together, teachers and their – often troubled – pupils rebuilt a school and community, with an inspirational head at the helm. Charming, touching and full of brilliant leadership advice, this is the diary of the woman the Daily Mail labelled Britain's strictest head teacher.

No Excuses! H.Y.B. Ladies Handle Your Business is a book of empowerment. Ladies the time has come to throw out all of your excuses. It’s time to live your best life. Faith is the sister in your corner. She’s the best friend cheering you on and screaming at the top of her lungs “No Excuses! H.Y.B. Ladies Handle Your Business”!

"Donovan Green proves that motivation and inspiration improves his clients' lives inside and outside of the gym. Donovan's own life story is the greatest example of how being motivated and driven makes what once seemed impossible a reality." --Joe Scarborough, NBC News Senior Political Analyst and host, Morning Joe Dr. Oz's personal trainer, Donovan Green, delivers a 30-day fitness program focusing on exercise, diet, and attitude, forged from his experience training thousands of clients ranging from celebrities to regular folks. Between his positive, can-do spirit and practical, brass tacks strategies for getting in shape, it's no wonder that Donovan Green has reached 3.7 million daily viewers via his unique No Excuses platform on DrOz.com. With No Excuses Fitness, Green delivers a comprehensive month-long plan designed to help readers lose 10 pounds in 30 days. Filled with healthy recipes, workouts that can be done anywhere and with minimal equipment, and daily tips for staying focused (especially through plateaus), and featuring a foreword by Dr. Oz's wife Lisa, No Excuses Fitness will inspire and guide anyone interested in losing weight and gaining optimal health.

Every organization needs good leadership in order to win against the competition. Through his own personal story and those of nine other Rangers, Barber illuminates fundamental lessons about what it really takes to win. These first-person accounts of trial and triumph highlight the importance and the inherent truth of the Army’s most fundamental leadership principles: seeking and taking responsibility for your actions, and knowing yourself and seeking self-improvement. Adhering to those principles—and putting them at the core of your organization—will push you and your company to do more and do it better.