Jacqueline Ancess is Co-Director Emeritus of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools & Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research has focused on urban school reform, small schools, performance assessment, and accountability. During her more than 20 years in the New York City school system, Ancess taught English in the South Bronx; became founding director of Manhattan East, a small junior high school in District 4; and was Director of Option Schools in Districts 2 and 3, where she was responsible for big school restructuring and small schools development. Her efforts at Manhattan East were awarded with the New York Alliance for the Arts Schools & Culture Award.