La Familia

He doubts this will happen. "The state has been very supportive of us," he says. The school offers an education that can't be measured by one-size-fits-all tests, he explains, and that's why each senior is required to produce a portfolio as a graduation requirement. "Their portfolios are full of their work -- poetry, reports, math and science projects. We also demand better attendance, more parental involvement. We're just on them all the time." State officials, he says, "realize there's a need for alternative education."

Orlo Shroyer, Missouri's deputy commissioner of elementary and secondary education, agrees. "We would not expect to see the same sort of improvement in this sort of specialized school that we would expect to see in normal schools," he says. "We still expect changes, but we understand that with the population they're serving, they're going to need time to show improvements."

For now, Sylvia doesn't have to be afraid that her school will shut down. On this Wednesday morning in December, there are a dozen places she'd rather be anyway. But she's been showing up every day in spite of her professed contempt for the school. Playing Mendez's games, she's managed to learn the rudiments of city government.

Mendez stands at the front of the class, holding the stack of tests in his hands. "I'm proud of this class," he says. "Nobody got a D or an F. Everybody got a C or higher. And that's my goal."

Sylvia slumps sideways in her chair, leaning against the wall, only half listening.

"And I also want to recognize now those two who got A's," Mendez says, raising an eyebrow. "And those two are Sylvia and Jessica [Daniels]."

Sylvia perks up and reaches out for her test. She stares at it for a moment and then looks up, beaming.

"This is the first A I've had in, like, years!"