During and after his term as interim Central Falls superintendent in 2006-2007, Bill Holland sought answers to why some Central Falls High School students had school success while over half of their classmates failed to graduate. Much can be learned from how these students survived in a chronically low-achieving school located in the poorest community in the state. Holland provides behind-the-scenes details on the issues of poverty, ineffective teaching, and cultural differences while also advising students, parents, and teachers on ways to gain greater educational success. Before the book was completed, a federal and state mandate unexpectedly resulted in the superintendent having to adopt a turn-around model and fire the entire high school faculty and staff-an action that set off a firestorm between the school and state leadership and the American Federation of Teachers. The conflict made national headlines and was mentioned by President Obama as a prime example of a 'last resort' approach in reforming failing inner-city schools.

"Poverty creates myriad problems, including abuse, poor health, and itinerancy. It also contributes to low school performance, although the question of how much this is a result of poor teaching and how much is owing to a school system's failure to provide the proper resources remains unanswered. Holland, a former superintendent, commissioner of education, and professor emeritus in educational leadership at Rhode Island College, focuses here on his final assignment as interim superintendent in Central Falls, RI, a district with a graduation rate below 50 percent and where more than 90 percent of its students received free or reduced lunches. Written primarily to show parents of Central Falls High School (CFHS) students how important their role is in helping their children succeed in school and graduate, Holland highlights four CFHS students who were able to overcome obstacles and graduate with high marks....Educators and other parents in low performing schools may find it of interest." - Library Journal

"Holland, a former teacher and school superintendent, Rhode Island commissioner of education, and retired professor of educational leadership at Rhode Island College, draws on his recent experience as interim superintendent of schools in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where he was charged with recommending reforms. His reforms focused on the low-performing, urban high school in the area and better educating its Latino students. Here, he describes the struggles and realities of four recent Latino graduates, how they achieved success in spite of personal adversity and other obstacles, and the role parents, schools, and communities played in their education and what they can do to help more Central Falls students, within the context of the city and the school's reforms." - Book News, Inc.

"Persistently low-performing high schools have become all too common, and it is a challenge to determine what really works to turn schools around and restore their original educational identity. In A School in Trouble, the reader is taken on the journey of a school's renewal through the eyes and experiences of four students who face great challenges, and yet are successful due to the determination of parents and teachers who refused to accept the label "failing school." The challenges facing Central Falls High School's are complex, and many are not easily solved; they include poverty and residential instability among the students. Holland (emer., education leadership, Rhode Island College), a former Rhode Island commissioner of education, brings his vast educational experiences to this work and writes with straightforwardness and fairness to reveal what can be done to support student success in low-achieving schools. This must read is a narrative of hope for all. Summing Up: Highly recommended." - CHOICE

"If anyone has a background to compose such a book it's the 72-year-old Holland, who had spent approximately 44 years in the education field." - Times, August 13, 2010