--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By far the most important factor in the…" description: "\"By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or standards or business-model methods of accou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png" --- # By far the most important factor in the success or failure… ![“By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or standards or business-model methods of accountability, is simply attracting the best-educated, most exciting young people into urban schools and keeping them there.” quote by Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png) > “By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or standards or business-model methods of accountability, is simply attracting the best-educated, most exciting young people into urban schools and keeping them there.” [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attracting and retaining passionate, educated youth is the key to school success, more than tests or policies. **In simple terms:** Hire and keep inspiring students. Key Takeaway Focus on people, not metrics. Themes education leadership community Mood analytical hopeful Type policy philosophical When to use this quote - urban schools - teacher recruitment - student retention Key Concepts school culture human capital Questions to Reflect On - How can schools nurture excitement among students? - What policies support retaining talent? A Different Perspective Metrics still matter for accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Exciting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exciting/) [Factor Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factor-success-583461/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-school-2106828/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Factor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-factor-295755/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schools Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools-keeping-3613555/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success or failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-or-failure/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Urban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban/) [Urban Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban-schools-3613554/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [The way you see things - your attitude - is the most important factor in your success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/the-way-you-see-things-your-attitude-is-the-most-important-factor-in/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/desire-is-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-of-any-athlete/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [“Weak Why's will always lead to weak how's. Strong why's will always lead to strong how's. This is the determining factor of success or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mulenga-isaac-jr/weak-why-s-will-always-lead-to-weak-how-s-strong-why-s-will-always/) [Dwayne Mulenga Isaac Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mulenga-isaac-jr/) > [The discipline, particularly in these urban schools for the poor, it's not controlled by the administration - they're controlled by the police. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/the-discipline-particularly-in-these-urban-schools-for-the-poor-it-s/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [“When I was in the third grade, I did my very best to fail every class so that the kids would like me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-michener/when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-did-my-very-best-to-fail-every-class/) [Tara Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-michener/) > [Failure in school does not mean failure in Iife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-cannell/failure-in-school-does-not-mean-failure-in-iife/) [Stephen J. Cannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-j-cannell/) > [We may be unable to maintain even a semblance of order in our urban schools, which increasingly resemble happy hour in Beirut. But, hallelujah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-feder/we-may-be-unable-to-maintain-even-a-semblance-of-order-in-our-urban/) [Don Feder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-feder/) > [I have worked without thinking of myself. This is the largest factor in whatever success I have attained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amadeo-giannini/i-have-worked-without-thinking-of-myself-this-is-the-largest-factor/) [Amadeo Giannini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amadeo-giannini/) > [Failure is a fundamental factor of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-tassler/failure-is-a-fundamental-factor-of-success/) [Nina Tassler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-tassler/) > [“The cord that tethers ability to success is both loose and elastic. It is easy to see fine qualities in successful books or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/the-cord-that-tethers-ability-to-success-is-both-loose-and-elastic-it/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [Effective communication is a key factor in the success of your product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-james-garrett/effective-communication-is-a-key-factor-in-the-success-of-your-product/) [Jesse James Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-james-garrett/) > [“Operational effectiveness can be the single most important factor in the success, or indeed in the survival, of any business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-c-n-greenwald/operational-effectiveness-can-be-the-single-most-important-factor-in/) [Bruce C.N. Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-c-n-greenwald/) > [“Belief in oneself is an essential factor for success in life. It helps you surmount challenges on your road to success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/belief-in-oneself-is-an-essential-factor-for-success-in-life-it-helps/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [“Be the determining factor of your success - define it and own it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-evener/be-the-determining-factor-of-your-success-define-it-and-own-it/) [Joe Evener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-evener/) > [Discipline has been a key factor to my success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohan-bopanna/discipline-has-been-a-key-factor-to-my-success/) [Rohan Bopanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohan-bopanna/) ## More by Jonathan Kozol > [Political struggle is the most important thing any of us can do as a citizen in a democracy; and that means the old joining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/political-struggle-is-the-most-important-thing-any-of-us-can-do-as-a/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Separate and unequal didn't work 100 years ago. It will not work today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/separate-and-unequal-didn-t-work-100-years-ago-it-will-not-work-today/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“Unless we have the wealth to pay for private education, we are compelled by law to go to public school—and to the public school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/unless-we-have-the-wealth-to-pay-for-private-education-we-are/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [At present, black children are more segregated in their public schools than at any time since 1968. In the inner-city schools I visit, minority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/at-present-black-children-are-more-segregated-in-their-public-schools/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [“I want to correct something I told you once,' she says. 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They call the schools diverse, which means half black, half Hispanic, and maybe two white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/our-political-establishment-refuses-to-use-the-word-segregated-they/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > ['Savage Inequalities' was about school finance, and 'Amazing Grace' primarily dealt with medical and social injustices in New York. But with 'Ordinary Resurrections,' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/savage-inequalities-was-about-school-finance-and-amazing-grace/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [Discrimination is alive and soaring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/discrimination-is-alive-and-soaring/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [If you could lead through testing, the U.S. would lead the world in all education categories. When are people going to understand you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/if-you-could-lead-through-testing-the-u-s-would-lead-the-world-in-all/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [No Child Left Behind widens the gap between the races more than any piece of educational legislation I've seen in 40 years. It denies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/no-child-left-behind-widens-the-gap-between-the-races-more-than-any/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [An awful lot of people come to college with this strange idea that there's no longer segregation in America's schools, that our schools are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/an-awful-lot-of-people-come-to-college-with-this-strange-idea-that/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [The answers I remember longest are the ones that answer questions that I didn't think of asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-answers-i-remember-longest-are-the-ones-that-answer-questions/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) [Explore all 151 Jonathan Kozol quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) [Edward Greenspon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-greenspon/) > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) [Bill Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bullard/) > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) [Michael Soussan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-soussan/) [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or standards or business-model methods of accountability, is simply attracting the best-educated, most exciting young people into urban schools and keeping them there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Kozol" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-or-failure-of-any/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accountability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-or-failure-of-any/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/jonathan-kozol-2747_accountability_by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the_2824475.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or…” — Jonathan Kozol", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Kozol", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "By far the most important factor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-or-failure-of-any/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/by-far-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-or-failure-of-any/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```