Quite the debate raging in the comment section, on what was the number one factor. I stopped reading them, when the debate was seriously discussing, that children should be put in foster care, when they are failing in school. The blame for failure is put on the parents. Yes, parents have a role to play, but the teachers and the school play a greater role, in providing a stable, caring environment. A teacher can have a very positive impact on kids. Kids know the difference between phony concern, and real concern. How many teachers working in an inner city schools, actually go to the bother when finding out that one of their students are dealing with death, will go to the funeral home, or send flowers, and when the student gets back, give him a neat package of homework that was missed?  It is one of the complaints of relatives and friends in the Ontario cities, of medium size.

Schools are important, and the environment. Charter schools provide structure, rules that do not change depending on the student. I think in the long one, children need structure. They need to know that they can count on school not to change the rules mid-stream. To give the students the knowledge that their parents cannot give them, to get into college.