The Achievement Gap: Is Your School Helping All Students Succeed?
Is your school equitably serving all its students? Successful schools have found fair, effective ways to raise the achievement of all.
By GreatSchools Staff
Many diverse schools experience an "achievement gap," meaning that some groups of students achieve at a much higher level than other groups, especially on standardized tests. It is common to see persistent patterns of underachievement for lower-income, African-American and Hispanic students on standardized test scores. More and more, standardized tests are serving as gatekeepers to a child's academic future. As a result, schools are being asked to close this gap and to help all children reach high standards.
If your school, or the school you are considering for your child, has disparities in outcomes between groups of students, you should look into why this gap exists and what measures the school is taking to close the gap. Schools should strive to create an environment where all children feel valued and all children are learning to high standards. To find out if your school is working to close the achievement gap, schedule a school visit to meet with the principal and observe some classes.
Meeting With the Principal: Questions to Ask about Equity
Here are some questions to ask the principal that will help you assess the school's commitment to helping all children reach high standards:
Ask: How are students achieving in the school now? Are there any groups of students that are scoring below others on standardized tests? If so, what is the school doing to address this challenge?
Listen for: Exact achievement data for each group of students in the school; specific strategies the school is using (curricular programs, interventions, etc.) to raise the achievement of low-performing students; and concrete, measurable school goals for improving test scores.
Ask: How do the teachers hold all children to high expectations and measure progress to ensure that all students are learning?
Listen for: Concrete examples of assessments that teachers use to gauge student learning and ways that teachers analyze this assessment data to make sure all students are on track.
Ask: How is the school working to close the achievement gap? Are teachers using any new curriculum or instruction? Are they offering extra academic support for students?
Listen for: Specific actions the school is taking to raise achievement for low-performing students. Potential actions include: Implementing new teaching strategies that have been proven successful in other schools and providing additional academic support for students, during the school day and after school. Ask how many children take advantage of these resources and how parents are notified about this extra help.
Ask: Do all students have equal access to the most challenging classes or are lower-achieving students grouped in remedial programs?
Listen for: Evidence that all students have access to high-level courses and enriched curriculum and the school discourages permanent "ability grouping" and remedial programs. If you're not sure, ask to see the demographics of the students in accelerated courses vs. remedial courses.
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Comments from GreatSchools.net readers
09/8/2009:
"A strategy is most effective with those who it is designed for - it in
EVERY CHILD's best interest to be in a class with others of similar
ability and motivation.
Only then can they be helped to progress in a way that is meaningful to
*them*. Concrete assessments that teachers might analyze will not measure
most of the worthwhile learning in a high school ... and IF 'all students
are on track', it is DESPITE having their concrete data analyzed (not
ensured by it).
Sorry if your motivation is below your claimed 'talent' - most teenagers
are (and were, and will always be) like that - it is the *product* of
motivation x talent that counts in real life.
By The Way, '6/8/09 poster', we can all read here.
If you're going to cut-and-paste a rant from somebody else, at LEAST
correct the grammar and spelling in it (PhD ? yeah, right.) "
06/8/2009:
"04/2/2009:
'Wow, I didn't realize how many racist people still exists in US. I have
always been an overachiever, was extremely poor growing up and went to
public school through high school. The only reason I made all the way to
getting a PhD in a top 5 US University in my area of expertise was because
I had a couple of teachers back in elementary school that believe in me.
Most times, that's all it takes, someone that believes in you. The truth
is, most teachers and schools don't care about the education of minorities
and the poor, eventhough we can be overachievers and be responsibe and
extremely productive members of society. Am I suppose to say sorry your
child is being held bacK? May be after you say sorry that minorites are
been treated like their nothing and are not been educated to their
potential.'"
06/8/2009:
"Wow, I can not believe the response of a 'teacher' here on this post. It
looks like you need further education yourself. This issue is complex.
There are several factors involved, race, socio-economics, and politics to
name a few.
You can not deny the systematic racism that has existed here in the good
old USA. There is no way that a people who have been systematically
prevented from opportunites like education, will be at the same level as
those who have been given priveleges due to economics and race and the
real issues surrounding this goes back beyond what we are addressing here
in this post.
History is to be reviewed to understand the current siutation. It amazes
me the support given to refugees and other immigrant groups while black
students who have been refugees in this country, are not given the same
support. What would you say about a child whose parents were not allowed
education, while another child's parents were. Will these two children be
on equal playing fields? Will the parents? Well this has happend to a
whole race of people for generations. And yes this sytem that has caused
this must be accountable. We are one hand and when one finger hurts the
whole hand suffers. This government must deal with these issues because
it was the American government that created these inequalities. This is
what we have inherited.
And it is primarily the role of parents but truth is that many teachers do
not care and do not expect black kids to achieve. A parent can do all
they can but the teacher makes a differnce. We are all in this together.
Do research on those schools that do focus on the cultural/racial/social
dynamics of the student and see the difference for yourself! Those
teachers who are aware of the historical and social issues surrounding
black students in education are much more equipped at teaching these
students because they are aware and they do care. One example is the
education of students from Africa. They have very limited resources yet
they are very educated and speak sometimes 3-4 languages. This in my
opinion is because they are taught by teachers who love and care for their
education! Resources are not enough. Your beliefs about your students
count. Teachers need to care about children and who they are, what they
have gone through. You are teaching in America, a count!
ry with very complex race relations. Look beyond and look at the
challenges facing each child. Yes it is tough but you chose the field and
if you don't care and you see 'some' students as waiting for handouts, you
need to get the hell out of this enviornment because it is teachers like
you who contribute to this problem. Go to those children you have a heart
for and teach them. Teachers can help or hurt a child and right now we
are seeing so many children being additionally hindered due to beliefs
like the teacher here. Education and knowledge is beyond mere books and I
pray we as humans can spritually advance to see past the physical and deal
with each childs whole being."
06/1/2009:
"I know my son is in grave danger of failing 2 classes, I was really
depending on the summer school program to help him. Now with summer school
being canceled what in the world should I do to help my son so he can move
on to the 8th grade."
04/2/2009:
"you can call it what you want but the race is a factor. I'm a teacher at
a high school and sadly the white kids get alot of support from their
parents and the blacks do not. The ones in my classes don't try. They
refuse to read and only want to talk and be vulger, and know that they'll
still get pushed up to the next grade. The white kids get upset if they
get a B. Ask the government why there is such a gap? Could it be because
one group thinks everything is owed to them while the other group wants to
earn it?"
04/2/2009:
"The oppurtinuty for acheivment is there and always has been there. The
teachers give their best some kids take it some don't. The kids and the
parents need to step it up not the school or teachers. the government
needs to stop tring to save everyone cause their just making 'some' kids
relient on them and not themselves. If you the parent want your child to
succed then you be informed with the teacher and know what your child is
doing or is not doing. I know my three children will make it because i'm
involved every year and don't blame the teachers if they get a bad grade.
they will study and make it without free handouts from the gov."
04/2/2009:
"Would you care to ponder on my responses to your article on 'The
Achievement Gap'?
You say, 'some groups of students achieve at a much higher level than
other groups especially on standardized tests'
I say: Do you mean they achieve at a much higher RATE than other groups?
Or if you're talking about tests, then do you mean PERFORM or SCORE at a
higher level?
You say: 'The tests are serving as gatekeepers to a child's academic
future'
I say: What is an academic future? Do you mean college future as in
education or just 'to a child's future? Also, schools are not asked to
close the 'gap'. Actually, schools are instructed and required to narrow
the gap and to help children reach HIGHER standards or grade-level
standards. (not high) It would be pretty difficult for ESL students (who
speak some English) to reach high score standards. The Spanish-only
speakers, hopefully, take their own tests in Spanish and are rated in
their own demographic category which tells me some of these low scores are
coming from your English speaking students who score lower than
grade-level.
You say: A school should strive to create an environment 'where all
children are learning to high standards'. (wording is confusing)
To analyze data and measure progress for your own resolutions, have you
tried the Baldridge Program? I think it's great if it's utilyzed
skillfully.
'Accelerated vs. remedial' programs do not have to be two entire separate
entities. Both can be incorporated, integrated and blended together in
one plan. This is where we get our biased opinions from. Don't all
children learn at their own pace within their own learning MODALITIES?
The accommodations your school has for students with special needs is,
supposedly, super!! It is so good to hear that.
The last statement, 'It may take years for a school to reverse....' is so
effective and enlightening as is Chamisa Elementary.
KUDOS!!!
"
04/2/2009:
"Wow, I didn't realize how many racist people still exists in US. I have
always been an overachiever, was extremely poor growing up and went to
public school through high school. The only reason I made all the way to
getting a PhD in a top 5 US University in my area of expertise was because
I had a couple of teachers back in elementary school that believe in me.
Most times, that's all it takes, someone that believes in you. The truth
is, most teachers and schools don't care about the education of minorities
and the poor, eventhough we can be overachievers and be responsibe and
extremely productive members of society. Am I suppose to say sorry your
child is being held bacK? May be after you say sorry that minorites are
been treated like their nothing and are not been educated to their
potential."
12/23/2008:
"Does it not seem just a little unfair to judge a school for this 'achievement gap' especially in 2 areas??? How are students who can barely speak English to be expected to achieve high on tests? And the school/teachers get blamed. Also, I am an involved parent, but the parents of the behavior problem kids and low readers hardly ever go to conferences. I know because I volunteer. Teachers call these parents and they say they will support. Nothing never changes. So much counts on the MEAP but some kids and parents don't care about it because it doesn't affect their grades.
"
10/31/2008:
"I recently graduated from an extremely diverse high school, and I see that a lot of parents feel their children are being 'held back'. I understand how that may feel incredibly frustrating, but look at the larger picture. When in school, I never saw the well-off high-acheiving students being held back, but only the poor low-acheiving students being literally left behind. Teachers were more than ready to help a college bound student, but wouldn't think twice about suspending a potentially smart student who came with a lot of baggage. Of course if your born college bound, you are going to do well in school, but that's not the case for everyone. It's hard to focus on school if your dad is gone, your mom works 2 jobs and can't put food on the table and be involved as well, plus teachers seem to hate you, no one cares, and you barely have enough to eat. I came from a situation somewhat similar to this, and even though I knew I was smarter than most the rich white kids in my class!
es, I found it hard to stay motivated, get my work done and get good grades because unlike your children, I had no support. My mom couldn't help me with my homework, I did everything on my own, and it shouldn't have to be this hard. In my neighborhood there are so many bright kids who just don't care because no one wants to reach out to them. This isn't fair. And I'm not saying it's ok to dumbdown curriculum to make kids look smarter, but there has to be a way for teachers and schools to accomodate children who aren't as priveledged as yours. We all are in it together, we go to school together. It's selfish to say your kid deserves to go to college and the kid sitting next to them doesn't, because that kid's parents aren't as good of parents as you. I thought America was a country of equal opportunity, but I guess only as long as you reap the benefits and not when its your turn to pay the cost. That sounds more like a caste-system to me. Of course the system isn't going to!
be perfect, but humans aren't perfect, so we have to do what !
we can to accomodate to that. That means sacrifices to you as well as to those on the other side. Don't look at it as 'you can't keep up, I don't want to slow down for you, go get in the welfare line'. Look at it as 'you can't keep up? Here, let me help lift you up'. We're all together, we're all one despite our differences. A country is only as rich as it's poorest, and only as strong as its weakest."
10/21/2008:
"i think its truly sad when there's a 98% african american school that has mostly the bottom of the barrel teachers that really could care less about the students and more focus on fund raiser for the school ,i had a child that attended this and it was very difficult to get responses from her teacher she did not communicate well at all .98% percent of these student get free or reduce lunch and that says alot in itself that the fact that most of these kids need free or reduce lunch there should not be so many fundraisers parents just cannot afford this luxury the day that school was about learning is lacking in this school parents have to almost teach the kids themselves and just the raw treatment these kids get is hasrh i suggest if you have a student attending this school keep a check up on your child frequently and pay attention to what they say . "
10/14/2008:
"'College is for everyone if they want it bad enough.'
Unfortunately, this is not the case - it is you who are misinformed. I work in a university, and I see what happens when kids who 'want it bad enough' but are not academically talented are admitted. They drop out after the first or second semester, and are saddled with student loans they shouldn't have had in the first place. It's a big problem when teachers encourage everyone to apply to college - admissions offices are overrun with applications, and competition becomes more fierce. There is nothing wrong with community college or trade school. If a child wants something bad enough, he'll probably find it there. "
09/25/2008:
"It has been my experience, thru two children who are now in 4th and 6th grade, that all the 'No Child Left Behind' excuse means, is that the class proceeds no faster than the slowest one can follow. And yes, it's usually the one who doesn't speak our language. Our children in scool today know nothing of the real history and struggles of our great country, patriotism is not taught, and God has been forgotten all for fear it will offend someone. Education is key and if we don't turn this around soon, this country will not be the super power it once was."
08/14/2008:
"As for the lout who said some students are not cut out for college. All I say is please keep your misinformed opinions to yourself. College is for everyone if they want it bad enough."
07/10/2008:
"The fact that you offer this article in spanish speaks volumes about where you are coming from. There is nothing in the constitution that states that everything in the world has to be the same for everybody, it does however state that we are created equal, what we do with that after we are born is our own business and it is certainly not the job of public employees to intersperse multiculturalism on our children, we live where we live because we choose to (in America) and it is not a finite pie, because one child or group is doing well does not mean that another is being held down, there is plenty ofooportunity for all if people raise their children to succeed eventually they will, it doesn't need to be mandated and if I find out that my child is being told how to raise the flag in the courtyard in a variety of languages, it is time to pull them out."
07/3/2008:
"There simply is no other option for high-achieving, very bright students to reach their potentials, than to leave public school and enroll in private programs that teach to their level. Period. Our kids completely maxed out on all standardized tests (so therefore weren't adequately measured), were utterly bored and totally disenfranchised by public shool 'teaching to the lowest common denominator'. The ONLY solution is to get out of the public schools."
07/2/2008:
"In Katy the side of the freeway you live on will determine if you have good teachers or bad. I am on the north side of I-10 and I can tell you that we get the bottom of the barrell in teachers. My son graduated in 2007 and is having a hard time in college. He was not taught how to write a research paper. If you are in advanced courses the teacher drool over you but if you are average, well you are on your own. It is incredible how 3 high schools have high scores on the standardized testing and the other 3 high schools are average or below. We are in the same school district but not all schools are treated equally. Not only do we have bad teachers (not all) but the administration is as incompetent as any government employee can possibly be. The counselors are clueless and the assistant principals are there to be friends with the teachers, not to do what is best for the students. "
07/2/2008:
"I recently retired from a rather large school system. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I felt surrounded by situations that could have been interpreted as double standards, inconsistencies, and absolute failure to communicate. I grew weary of attempting to follow guidelines that defied plausible explanations! I grew weary of feeling invisible. The school system needs to do more to recognize the needs of the students and teachers! I decided to retire because I felt like I was fighting a losing battle!"
07/2/2008:
"My daughter went to a private elementary and middle school. Even during this time period I spent hours each week helping her with homework and working with teachers to keep her on track. She moved to a public high school in a new city just this year. I specifically chose a school with low diversity and high rates of accomplishment because it would be more likely to serve a high achiever such as my daughter. What I have found is that she has made friends of many ethnic backgrounds and they share classes (both honors and regular). This is a good result.
Unfortunately the school is under increasing pressure to redirect more and more resources to a relatively small number of under-achieving English language learners. So far the principal has stood his ground to not lower standards but I fear that may be coming.
I think the No Child Left Behind program is a nice title but the implementation punishes the talented children and will fail to produce the well-educated leaders that our country will need.
"
07/2/2008:
"The fall of Rome was due to fragmenting of their society. Is this not what your 'diversity' propaganda encourages? I personally do not care if or how non-English speaking kids are integrated. I would rather see my tax dollars go to update science labs, or further mathematics in schools than go to funding the bi-lingual schools to educate children of illegal criminals who do not pay taxes or work towards the public good. Instead, they cause a depletion of resources of which they are not entitled to receive. The net result of your misguided agenda is simply that you find it appropriate to dumb down the curriculum so that the stupid students can keep up, hence neglecting the bright ones who truly are America's future. The world needs ditch diggers, factory workers, construction tradesman, and sanitation workers. Reality is simply that not everyone is destined for college. "
06/17/2008:
"For weeks I was emailing my child's teacher about his progress at Jane Hoop elementary. All I got was his behavior performance. Before school school started I specifically ask the teacher to please let me know about my son's progress. I guess I was not clear. Around Christmas break his teacher said, my son was failing. Now I would have thought the teacher would have let me know about this at the beginning like three weeks into the school. We were emailing each other on a weekly bases. "
06/2/2008:
"Good evening,
I am currently working on my masters in Gifted Education and am interested in obtaining a current District or School plan for educating the Gifted and Talented students. I work for a school district in Colorado with similar demographics and am interested in what you have in place at your school district. Please send any information I can share with my professor. Thank you for your help.
Gloria Valenciano-Salazar"
06/2/2008:
"After about 15 attempts to get through to a counselor and a teacher, I finally contacted the principal/vice pricipal, and immediately he pulled my son s records and discussed what was available for him after school (they call it Right Track) meaning to get the students back on the right track! I like it, but I wish I had known about this type of available help earlier in the year. Otherwise my son would have been in Right Track last year and he would have started out this year as soon as the school began the program! I defintely want him to atten summer classes and to start the years off by going to Right Track again!!!"
05/8/2008:
"My daughter was accepted in the AVID program for next school year 2008-09 (9th grade) here in Orlando. I don't want her to loose this opportunity and since I will be moving to West Palm Beach during the summer, I need to know if you have this program, thank you, regards"
05/6/2008:
"I think NCLB should be revisited
and reworked as to getting the best effective method working for the students."
05/2/2008:
"'Do all students have equal access to the most challenging classes or are lower-achieving students grouped in remedial programs?' Why would you place low-achieving students in the most challenging classes? That educational philosophy is what keeps us sending our children to private schools; so they will not be held back. We have found that the success rate of children at private schools who are not high achievers is still very good because of parental involvement being very high. The parents make the sacrifice of ensuring their kids are keeping up. Expectations are high for everyone, and we have never felt our children were being held back, even though our son is a very high achiever. Lowering expectations is certainly not the answer to higher achievement for kids."
04/7/2008:
"For those replies that share how their children are being held back from learning because they are at an advanced learning level … we should be concerned with the children who are falling behind as well. I have two children – the older who has been in Student Council since third grade of which five years he was President. The other year he was not eligible until he had a year of attendance at the middle school. He is a straight A student. He has been given the opportunity to attend many free Leadership camps because of his abilities. There are classes at the schools he has attended that have certain advanced classes for those kids ahead of the “proficient” kids. My younger son is just as bright as my older son, but he has a learning disability called “ADHD” Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The teachers do not know how to teach these kids. I’ve sent many suggestions to the principle, but never get any solutions/changes on how they can address it. Probably because !
they are trying to deal with all the many types of learning abilities each child has. There are amazingly more children than I thought that are going through the same thing. I don’t leave it up to the school to help my son, because it is not there for him. I keep in constant contact with the teachers regarding homework, grades, etc. They are always very helpful – but don’t know how to cope with my son’s disability – sometimes I don’t either. Most of his work is done outside of school because he has a hard time focusing and being organized while he is in school. So, in actuality, he puts in eight hours at school and then many nights up to 2-3 hours at home instead of taking a break away from school. Eventually he gets behind and gets frustrated and pretty much gives up. Learning comes very easy for my older son and my younger son is working very hard to try to be like him someday. Respectfully submitted."
04/2/2008:
"As a teacher and a parent, I must agree and disagree. I am very concerned that all children are held to high standards. But I do not believe it is fair to students who struggle in basic classes to be put into advanced classes. It is not fair to the advanced students to have to accommodate struggling students in advanced classes just in the name of equity. My son spends hours upon hours in his fifth grade class (the only 5th grade class in a rural school) waiting for the 'slower' students to catch up before he can proceed.
'No Child Left Behind' means my child too. He's being left behind in that his potential is being hung out to dry in the classroom. No amount of education I do at home can overcome the hours of boredom he spends waiting to learn something challenging. ....I wish I could get an accounting of all the hours of his young life wasted waiting for other students to span the 'gap' he has worked very hard to cross long before anyone else ever got there."
03/28/2008:
"I'm waiting for a No Child Held Back law. "
03/17/2008:
"I'm a mother of an overacheiving 7 year old. He is currently enrolled in an immersion prograqm and his biggest problem is bordem. He was one of 58 children out of 800-1000 chosen for this program. I went through this process for him because i knew he was advanced at a young age and needed a challenge. what are schools, and which, are doing anything to help the kids that are advanced. the children who are falling behind get all the attention and help from schools and government but how is anyone really doing anything for the children who will become president, astrounauts,doctors and nobel prize winners? the children who are behind do deserve attention but are they not becoming the standard? some children have the desire to learn and are not supported by the schools because we are so concerned with the ones who dont get it. these children are not going to change the world, are not going to cure cancer, or even begin to bring about world peace. there are a lot of chilren w!
ho have that potential and the schools need to tap that potential. parents can only do so much. the kids spend most of their time at school. If i keep teaching my son at home the way weve been doing he will only be further advanced and increasingly more bored at school? what is your suggestion?"
