When Hurricane Katrina shredded the levees in New Orleans, the flood waters took lives, homes and part of the city's soul. But when the water receded, it exposed the problems of the past, most vividly, the disastrous school system that robbed the futures from generations. So, they decided not to rebuild that system, letting it sink into down with the storm water. Education is by far the most radical change since Katrina. The dynamic transformation of an entire school system has never been attempted on this scale anywhere in the U.S. Some say it will be the model for education reform around the world. It has united political enemies and divided lifelong friends. It denounces the status quo. It promises something better. It is an experiment.