The ways in which urban schools respond to and are affected by the urban environment are explored through a case study analysis of Lowell Middle School, located in the West Oakland section of Oakland, California. The connection between the social environment and urban schools is generally ignored in most school reform initiatives. The unwillingness of policymakers to confront the environmental aspects of the problems facing urban schools is due to the often unstated belief that nothing can actually be done to address the plight of urban areas. In many of these communities, the urban public school is one of few social institutions that provide a degree of stability and social support to the individuals and families that are served. As the only public agency charged with serving all young people regardless of their status, the urban school has the potential to play a leading role in the revitalization of urban areas. This possibility is explored within the context of ongoing efforts at Lowell Middle School to promote educational reform by bridging the gap between the school and the community.