Imagine a school with no classrooms, bells, or textbooks where students work at their own pace, are not graded, and are able to decide what to study. Have you ever heard of a school where teachers have control of the learning program, the hiring and retention of personnel, and are responsible for the success of the school? This book, based on a little school in a rural town of Minnesota, describes the creation of and development of learning communities that are changing the conversation about what schools can be and do. The book is divided into three sections: the founding of the Minnesota New Country School, a world renowned small learning community that created a student and teacher ownership model that is being replicated, collected essays by extended community members, contributing consultants, and interested parties that have been influenced by and have influenced the development of new learning communities based on the model, results from some of the learning communities. For teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, or any educator interested in taking reform to another level. « less more »