Standards The Achievement Gap

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StandardsThe Achievement Gap

• The Debate Continues

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SOME BIG QUESTIONS

• How do standards relate to thinking-rich
  classrooms and helping all students learn
  course content?
• What is your responsibility as educator in
  meeting particular standards and meeting the
  needs of students?
• What is your responsibility as educator in
  ameliorating the achievement gap?

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First

• Move to one part of the room based on thoughts on
  this statement
• Standards are necessary for increased learning.
• Front agree
• Back disagree
• Why are you positioned where you are?

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Achievement Gap

• Position 1 Integration, Title I, and Head Start
  have been effective and should continue.
• Position 2 New programs like NCLB needed because
  old programs are not effective.

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Danielle Case

• How do standards affect Danielle?
• How does standardized testing affect Danielle?
• How does the achievement gap affect Danielle?
• What does she need to be thinking about in
  relation to how she can develop a thinking-rich
  classroom while keeping in mind issues related to
  standards, testing, and the achievement gap?

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Why have standards?

• Previously benchmark was level of completion
• Indicators that US falling behind

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A Nation at Risk

• 1983. Alarmist call for better schools
• Our Nation is at risk. Our once unchallenged
  preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and
  technological innovation is being overtaken by
  competitors throughout the world. ( 1)
• If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to
  impose on America the mediocre educational
  performance that exists today, we might well have
  viewed it as an act of war. We have, in effect,
  been committing an act of unthinking, unilateral
  educational disarmament. ( 2).

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NAEP

• The Nations Report Card
• Started 1969
• Only nationally representative and continuing
  assessment for K-12 students
• Based on a sample of student population
• No individual scores aggregate and by population
  (e.g. females/males, African-American/
  Asian-American/ Caucasian/ Hispanic)

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NAEP

• Includes public and private schools
• Grades 4, 8, 12
• Test stays same stability
• Reading, Math, Science, Writing, US History,
  Civics, Arts
• Levels
• basic, proficient, advanced

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NAEP Reading Results 2002

• Based on 270,000 students at 11,000 schools
• 12th graders at or above basic or proficient
  decreased between 1998 and 2002
• 8th graders at or above basic was higher than in
  all previous years
• Females scored higher than males
• White and Asian students higher than black and
  Hispanic

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NAEP Reading Results 2002

• Students attending schools receiving Title I
  funds scored lower (average) than students
  attending schools not receiving Title I funds.
• Students who attended nonpublic schools had
  higher average scores than students in public
  schools.
• Students in urban fringe/ large town areas had
  higher average scores than students in central
  city or rural areas.

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No Child Left Behind

• Re-tooled ESEA 1965
• Focuses on
• Increased funding for poor districts
• Higher achievement for poor and minority students
• New accountability measures for students
  progress
• Dramatically expanding the role of standardized
  testing in schools

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NCLB

• Reform principles
• Accountability
• Flexibility
• Research-based reforms
• Parental options
• States test every child in grades 3-8
• Some states also have minimum competencies for
  graduation
• Funding issues reading, reform, vouchers

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NCLB

• Does not represent national curriculum
• Progress met through states setting targets for
  AYP in math and reading
• AYP Goal is to have every student proficient in
  math and reading by 2014
• If AYP not met
• 1-2 years School improvement
• 3 years Correction action
• 4 years Possible restructuring

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NCLB and Parents

• Receive report card with scores
• Scores disaggregated by subgroups based on race,
  ethnicity, gender, low-income status, disability
  status, migrant status, ELL (English Language
  Learners)
• Professional qualifications of teachers (highly
  qualified)
• Right to transfer if school failing 3 years

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The illustrious achievement gap

• Equal access ? equal opportunities.
• WHY??

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Barton1 Before and beyond school

• Birthweight
• Lead poisoning
• Hunger and nutrition
• Television watching
• Parent availability
• Student mobility
• Parent participation
• Reading to young children

1Barton, P. E. (2004). Why does the gap persist?
Educational Leadership, 62(3), 8-13.
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Barton1 In school

• Teacher experience and attendance
• Teacher preparation
• Class size
• Technology-assisted instruction
• School safety
• Rigor of curriculum

1Barton, P. E. (2004). Why does the gap persist?
Educational Leadership, 62(3), 8-13.
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Questions to Continue to Ponder

• What is your responsibility as educator in
  ameliorating the achievement gap?
• What is your responsibility as educator in
  meeting particular standards and meeting the
  needs of students?

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Next Class

• Diagnostic tools How can we determine what
  students need and what readings are appropriate?
  
• Vacca and Vacca pp. 40-68
• Bring to class a sample reading you may use with
  your students