Making Schools Work

A Blueprint for Change in Education

Making Schools Work documents the remarkable achievements of Dr. Marcus A. Foster, who became nationally recognized for transforming "problem schools" in Philadelphia and later leading the Oakland Unified School District as superintendent. In the book, Dr. Foster confronts the challenges in urban education by encouraging "a problem-solving process" that engages teachers, students, parents, community members, and businesses. Originally published in 1971, Making Schools Work remains vital to education and equity conversations.

Dr. Marcus A. Foster was an education reformer in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania public school system when he was recruited to lead the Oakland Unified School District in 1970, making him the first Black superintendent of a large city school district in the United States. Dr. Foster ushered in an era of innovation in education that encouraged teachers, students, parents, community members, and businesses to find creative, intersectional solutions to address barriers to community well-being and success. In 1973, he founded the Oakland Education Institute-later named the Marcus A. Foster Educational Institute to support innovation in schools.