Cover of This Promise of Change

This Promise of Change

by Jo Ann Allen Boyce

This Promise of Change by Jo Ann Allen Boyce is assigned in US schools at grades 4–10. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where This Promise of Change is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 4–10
Pages
338
Reading time
about 6h 10m (est.)
First published
2019
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781681198538
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About this book

In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann--clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students---found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen? This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the nati

Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades 4–10. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is This Promise of Change?
This Promise of Change is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–10. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read This Promise of Change?
It takes about 6h 10m to read This Promise of Change (338 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 370 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign This Promise of Change?
This Promise of Change appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is This Promise of Change banned in schools?
This Promise of Change does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 4–10 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: read-aloud.