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Doc: The Story of Dennis Littky and His Fight for a Better School
by Susan Kammeraad-Campbell

This book about Big Picture co-founder Dennis Littky (originally published in 1989 by Contemporary Books), has been re-released by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)!

You can order the book now by calling ASCD toll-free at 1-800-578-9600 or by clicking here.

From ASCD:

This riveting account of Dennis Littky and how his ideas turned around a troubled rural high school—the first school named to the acclaimed Coalition of Essential Schools—gives you a behind-the-scenes perspective on how principal leadership can accomplish positive change. Read how Littky’s philosophy of personalized learning—one student at a time—quickly achieved dramatic improvements, including a decrease in dropout rates from 20 percent to 1 ½ percent and record numbers of college-bound graduates. And learn how school improvement ideas that seem commonplace today—such as high expectations, individualized curriculum, positive learning communities, and a focus on student competencies—had to be carefully nurtured among students, established through collaborative teamwork, and fought for in the community.


"Dennis Littky believes in youngsters. He's warm, and he has high standards - an all-too-rare combination. Doc chronicles Dennis and his beloved Thayer High during turbulent years. It reminds all of us why humanity, persistence, and courage are the hallmarks of strong school leaders."

- Theodore Sizer, former Chairman, Coalition of Essential Schools and author of Horace's Compromise

"[This is] an extremely readable and inspiring story about a principal who had the courage and commitment to fight for his vision of what a school could, shouldk, and must be...Principals and teachers looking for 'how-to's' will find a wealth of useful ideas."

- Dr. Sophie Sa, Executive Director, Matsushita Foundation, Inc. (now Panasonic Foundation)

“This book amply reinforces the old idea that only caring, dedicated people can make a school a beacon of hope for our children. All the doomsday criers complaining about what is wrong with our schools today would benefit greatly from the lesson of this book.”

—Marva N. Collins, Founder, Westside Preparatory School