In this article, the author describes how Cato-Meridian, a 450-student rural high school in the New York State, successfully implemented a new cocurricular eligibility policy that integrated after-school activities with student academic accountability. The program created data that drove decisions about student life and student-teacher interaction…

Two influences that are held to produce a lack of academic motivation in mixed minority group children are identified. (1) Minority students frequently come from families that, for a variety of reasons, do not encourage academic excellence; (2) the New Rochelle school program does not compensate for this lack by offering replacement encouragement…