Book excerpt: Since its first publication in 1959, The Nongraded Elementary School has become a classic in school reform literature. This reissue includes a retrospective introduction on what happened to nongraded alternatives in the aftermath of “Sputnik” educational reforms, what is occurring amid the current resurgence of school reform, and what the prospects are for the future. The value of this book lies in its still contemporary theoretical underpinnings for the nongraded school. The book’s treatment of the issue of promotion versus non-promotion is of particular interest in the current debate on school reform.