we're at-will. >> couric: special ed teacher judy lefevre is a 30-year classroom veteran who was making to take a job at the school. >> lefevre: i think we all have a lot of trust in terms of how we feel about zeke, and if he really felt he needed to make a change, it would be in the best interests of the students here. >> couric: the students are mostly african american and hispanic, and almost all of them come from poor families. >> "he totally..." >> couric: more than two thirds of the kids are reading below grade level when they get here, like christian pena. he'd been in the new york city school system for four years, but still couldn't read or write when he began fifth grade at tep. >> question number one. >> couric: the school's challenge is one that has bedeviled american educators for decades-- how to get poor, minority, inner city kids to achieve at the same levels as kids from more affluent neighborhoods. what makes you think you can narrow the achievement gap with this school? >> vanderhoek: the difference between a great teacher and a mediocre or poor teacher is several gra