Cuts to education funding throughout the developed world are making it more important than ever that we understand the link between education, disadvantage, and place. This book is the first to focus in depth on area-based initiatives in the struggle for educational equality, bringing together a wide range of evidence on the effectiveness of past initiatives, identifying promising recent developments, and outlining innovative ways forward. Drawing on these findings, it offers guidance for local policy makers, educators, and social workers to help them actively respond to the complexities of place.