“No outsider could give so complete and knowledgeable chronicle of the Macchiarola years.” —Chester E. Finn

“Honest, thought provoking, and well written” —Burton Blatt, Syracuse University

“Viteritti describes how the board (of education) under pressure from special interests, scuttled a plan by Frank Macchiarola to give students a choice of spending their ninth year in junior high school or high school . . . showing that the board and not the chancellor runs the schools.”
—Fred M. Hechinger, New York Times

“An informative book (that) closely examines the educational and budgetary decisions as well as the roles played by the Mayor, the Governor, legislators, budget officers, union leaders, state education officials, school board members, and a host of others.”
—Arnold N. Goren, New York Times Book Review

“In well written chapters, Viteritti relates, as only an insider can, the personalities, bargaining, and political strategies of decision making.”
—Paul Kantor, American Journal of Sociology

“An important book with profound lessons for the current rediscovery of educational policy and practical reforms.” —Edgar Litt, Journal of Politics

“Provides well documented evidence of the difficulties found by school administrators where decisions must satisfy a shifting series of constituencies whose interests may diverge sharply from the clients being served.” —Urban Whitaker, Perspectives

“A masterful account of a superintendent’s attempt to effect change in a school system.” —Rick Ginsberg, Educational Studies

“An important book on education, urban politics, and organization theory.” —Henry C. Culley, Public Administration Review