The eight schools profiled in this document are serving different populations, but all of them are closing the achievement gap between low-income, minority, and special needs students and their peers. By trying out innovative new strategies, these schools are blazing a trail for others to follow. They are dispelling the myth that some students can not learn and proving that if the Academic bar is raised, students will rise to the challenge. This document is one of a series of innovation guides produced by the U.S. Department of Education. Upcoming guides will feature K-8 schools that are closing the achievement gap and highlight promising practices to expand the pool of high-quality charter schools. In addition, the series will include strategies to encourage parents to help improve schools and show ways in which distance learning can increase access to rigorous course work. Appended are: (1) Research Methodology; and (2) Resources. (Contains 1 table, 11 figures, and 20 endnotes.) [This report was produced for the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement.]