Paul Tough, author of "Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America," will speak at Holton Career and Resource Center Sunday.

Tough's book chronicles the Harlem's Children's Zone, a program that takes a holistic approach to educating the nation's poor. The Harlem Children's Zone began as a one-block pilot in the 1990s, but has since expanded to cover nearly 97 blocks. The budget for the Harlem's Children Zone for this fiscal year is more than $48 million, costing an average of $5,000 per child, according to the project's Web site.

Tough's appearance is part of the efforts of the East Durham Children's Initiative - a program of the Center for Child and Family Health - which is modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone. The East Durham Children's Initiative aims to support families and children from birth to high school in a nearly one square mile area east of downtown.

Tough, 42 of New York, has written extensively about education, poverty and politics. He has worked as an editor at the New York Times Magazine and Harper's Magazine, and written for numerous publications.

Q: What advice do you have for communities that are attempting to replicate the Harlem Children's Zone?

From a very broad point of view, I think the two big messages from me in "Whatever It Takes," and the story of the Harlem Children's Zone are one that it is absolutely possible to achieve these kinds of results for kids even in neighborhoods that have experienced generational after generational failure.

But that, two, it is really hard. It takes a long time, and a lot of dedication. I think my one worry about the success of the Harlem Children's Zone is people are going to think it is easy. They look at how the Harlem Children's Zone is now, and don't see all of the hard work, wrong turns, and dismal failures that went into making it the success that it is today. What I think any community will need if they are going to try to do this is persistence, dedication, faith, a long term vision, and a sense that they are going to do whatever it takes.

Q: What role has the Harlem Children's Zone played in the national debate on educating the poor?

Geoffrey Canada is, and is trying to play a big role in the national debate about education. What I think is interesting about his role is there are pretty strongly defined political sides to the debate on education reform. Geoff has really strong opinions. He is not really middle of the road. But at the same times, he is sort of on both sides of the debate. So on the more traditionally liberal side, I think he is somebody who feels really strongly about equity and social justice, and the fact that it is going to cost more money to educate kids to their full potential.

But on the more conservative side, I think he feels like there is a lot of money wasted in public education. Teachers unions are not as flexible as they need to be to give opportunities to kids in low-income neighborhoods. He thinks there is just a lot centrally wrong about what goes on in public education systems. And I think he is very much a public figure in that debate. He's done that in lots of ways. There's this documentary coming out this fall called "Waiting for Superman" directed by Davis Guggenheim, who made "An Inconvenient Truth." The new documentary is all about public education. Geoff is one of the biggest characters in that documentary. It speaks very firmly and persuasively about the need to seriously reform the way education is conducted.

Q: In the book, standardized tests play a significant role in evaluating the Harlem Children's Zone programs and students' progress. Do you think that the book and Canada will change the perception of standardized tests?

I have mixed feelings about standardized tests, still. Compared to a lot of people I know, I am more in favor of standardized tests. I think they are clearly a blunt instrument. They are not ideal. ... I think, especially in low-income neighborhoods, they are a protection against the problem I think that has been pervasive in schools there for a long time, which is that kids are just allowed to continue to fail and nobody really holds them accountable. There is nowhere the scores are recorded, written down, and people's feet aren't held to the fire. So, if standardized tests can be a tool for identifying which schools need help, what kind of help they need, what students need help, then I think they are essentially and incredibly valuable.

I think there are still a lot of people, especially middle-class and upper-middle-class parents and teachers, who feel like the prevalence of testing in their schools is just driving them nuts, driving their kids nuts, and distracting from a lot of what's important.

I am sympathetic to that view. But I think as a public policy tool the tests are potentially really valuable, to such an extent that I feel like I am in favor of them despite all those potential objections.

Q: How have you seen Geoffrey Canada evolve since you have known him?

He has become a lot more famous. When I met him he was working in this kind of shabby office on the north end of Park Avenue. Now they got their own building, and he's friends with the president. So he is really on another level in terms of his public persona. I think to his credit he hasn't really changed much in that time. I think he is still really focused on the work that he is doing. I think he knows that having a public profile is an important part of making that happen. I think, in most ways, he would rather be sitting in the classrooms with a bunch of 7-year-olds.