The students have risen to the level of the project's ambitious intentions.
But by their own count, students found with guns, knives and other weapons rose 13 percent in the last school year, from 1,890 to 2,170.
Jane held no hope that the student would rise to the occasion, as sometimes happened.
The students and even the Director himself rose automatically to the tips of their toes.
They show students can, and will, rise to the demands of higher standards.
At the same time the average points score per student rose by 13 points.
In the most traditional schools, students rise when the teacher enters the classroom.
But students often rise - or fall - to the level of expectations set for them.
Still, officials said, the overall message is that if the state sets high standards, students will rise to them.
"Stay in your seats," she said then, as several students had risen and were moving toward the window.