When I first became an educator, I taught secondary Mathematics and Physics to high school students in the largest district in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and in a much smaller school system in the suburbs. I first worked with low-performing and economically disadvantaged students and later in an environment with all talented and gifted students. Once I decided to move beyond the classroom and into a role as instructional coach, I began mentoring teachers and delivering professional development training. With this background as both an urban educator and teacher leader, I had a close-up opportunity to see the problems that are pervasive in K-12 education. Having served as a District administrator for 9 years, I now have a bird’s eye perspective of those problems as well as potential strategies for success, particularly, in an urban setting.