ADDRESSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP “A Work in Progress” Sue Shannon, OSPI WERA March 2008 A Challenge and Opportunity to Ensure Equity and Excellence for Students in Washington State

Addressing the Achievement Gap2 Overview of Presentation Background information on 2 nd Edition Defining the gap Progress in reducing the gap Highlighting additional concepts Small group discussion Full report available in the spring

Addressing the Achievement Gap3 Purpose of Report Review & synthesize current body of research Expand and deepen understanding of the issues Address three broad questions: 1. What is the size of the achievement gap in WA? 2. What are root causes and conditions that tend to perpetuate the gap? 3. What appears to be working to help close the gap?

Addressing the Achievement Gap4 Defining the Gap Gap can be measured in various ways By type of group Gender, race/ethnicity, Spec. Ed., LEP, SES By type of outcome Test scores (WASL, SAT, AP) Other measures (e.g., grades, grad/dropout rates) By type of comparison Compare groups to each other Compare groups to fixed standard

Addressing the Achievement Gap5 Primary Focus of This Report Differences in student achievement according to racial/ethnicity and economic status Gap between white and minority students Gap between affluent and low-income students Differences between group performance and state/federal expectations (high standards)

Addressing the Achievement Gap6 Limitations/Caveats Generalizations Mask performance of individual students Can reinforce stereotypes Mask differences within groups Literature review Did not examine technical merits of some primary sources Focused primarily on classroom and school contexts. Added some discussion of systemic issues

Addressing the Achievement Gap7 Audience Activity What do you know and want to learn? Write two things you know about the achievement gap. Write one thing you want to learn about the achievement gap. Briefly pair and share with a neighbor

Addressing the Achievement Gap8 Size of the Gap in Washington Examined differences between groups Statewide tests (WASL) Other tests (NAEP, SAT) Dropout and graduation rates Other indicators (TV, homework) One year and trends over time Progress in reducing the gap

Audience Activity – Looking at data Looking at 2007 WASL results and trends, what do you see? What do you see in the charts on achievement gains? Size of gaps? Looking at 2005 and 2007 NAEP results, what do you see? Addressing the Achievement Gap9

2007 WASL Results: Grade 4 Passed Math Passed Reading Passed Writing American Indian Asian/Pacific Islander Black Hispanic White State * Numbers in small type are first-year (1997) results

2007 WASL Results: Grade 7 Passed Math Passed Reading Passed Writing American Indian Asian/Pacific Islander Black Hispanic White State * Numbers in small type are first-year (1998) results

Passed Math Passed Reading Passed Writing American Indian * Asian/Pacific Islander Black Hispanic White State WASL Results: Grade 10 * Numbers in small type are first-year (1999) results

Reading, Grade 4 Trends

Mathematics, Grade 4 Trends

Reading, Grade 7 Trends ( 1998 )

Mathematics, Grade 7 Trends (1998)

Reading, Grade 10 Trends (1999)

Math, Grade 10 Trends

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Minority improvement & achievement gap WASL Percentage Point Gained Grade 4Grade 7Grade 10 Race/EthnicityReadingMathReadingMathReadingMath American Indian Asian/Pacific Islander Black Hispanic White Size of the Gap, 2007 (in comparison to white students) Race/EthnicityReadingMathReadingMathReadingMath American Indian Asian/Pacific Islander Black Hispanic

GRADE 4 READING WASHINGTON NAEP RESULTS 2005 RESULTS2007 RESULTS OVERALL223224* WHITE BLACK HISPANIC ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN INDIAN‡205 MALE219221* FEMALE228227* ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH213210* NOT ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH SPECIAL ED NOT SPEC ED227228* ELL191182** NOT ELL226227*

GRADE 4 MATHEMATICS WASHINGTON NAEP RESULTS 2005 RESULTS2007 RESULTS ALL STUDENTS * WHITE BLACK HISPANIC ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN INDIAN ‡227 MALE * FEMALE * ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH * NOT ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH SPECIAL ED NOT SPEC ED * ELL NOT ELL *

GRADE 8 READING WASHINGTON NAEP RESULTS 2005 RESULTS2007 RESULTS OVERALL * WHITE BLACK HISPANIC ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICAN INDIAN MALE * FEMALE * ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH * NOT ELIGIBLE FREE & REDUCED LUNCH 272 SPECIAL ED NOT SD * ELL NOT ELL *

Addressing the Achievement Gap24 Achievement gaps by free/reduced lunch

Addressing the Achievement Gap25

Graduation and Dropout Data Addressing the Achievement Gap26 Race/Ethnicity On-time Completers* Extended Completers**ContinuingDropouts*** Included in dropouts *** Confirmed Dropout/ GED Completer Included in dropouts *** Unknown Dropouts Amer. Indian / Alaska Native 48.0%54.0%17.7%11.2%5.5%5.7% Asian 76.5%80.5% 7.9% 4.3%1.4%2.9% Black 53.6%60.4%13.4%10.3%3.0%7.3% Hispanic 57.5%65.3%13.9% 8.9%3.5%5.4% White 74.1%78.3% 8.6%4.8%2.3%2.5% Other 53.7%57.7% 8.6% 8.5%3.3%5.2% All Groups 70.4%75.1% 9.5% 5.7%2.5%3.2%

Elementary uniform bar (3-5) AYP 27 Percent Meeting Standard Reading Mathematics

Middle school uniform bar (6-8) AYP Percent Meeting Standard Reading Mathematics

High school uniform bar AYP Percent Meeting Standard Reading Mathematics

Addressing the Achievement Gap30 National poverty rate for Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians is triple that of Whites (more minorities live in poverty than whites) Minorities represent a growing portion of the population Nearly 3 in 10 people in US are minorities About 21% of total population in WA More than 25% of K-12 students in WA in 2001 (up from 18% in 1990) Context of the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap31 Most teachers, school & district administrators are white (nearly 90% in each category) Gap has existed for years on many tests (e.g., SAT, ACT, NAEP, CTBS, ITBS) Greater expectations and higher standards for all students EALRs and WASL – internationally competitive Federal goals (No Child Left Behind) for subgroups Washington Basic Education Law revised goal Context of the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap32 Benefits of Closing the Gap Education is a stepping stone to a better future (benefits individuals and society) Economic (income and jobs) Health/mortality Civic involvement/social contribution

Addressing the Achievement Gap33 Audience Activity What do you think are causes or sources of the achievement gap? Think of one or two possible causes Share with your neighbors

Addressing the Achievement Gap34 Root Causes and Perpetuating Conditions Historical Factors Education debt Socio-Cultural Factors Racism – a system of advantage Family & Economic Factors Personal/Psychological Factors Microaggression Disidentification

Addressing the Achievement Gap35 Educational Systems Factors Disparate Conditions and Opportunities Subtractive Schooling Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs Inadequate Instruction and Support Teacher quality Inequities in resources Root Causes and Perpetuating Conditions (cont.)

Addressing the Achievement Gap36 Audience Activity What do you think works to close the gap? Think of one example from your experience or reading. Record ideas on feedback form Share with your neighbors

Addressing the Achievement Gap37 Strategies for Closing the Gap 1. Changed Beliefs and Attitudes 2. Cultural Competence and Cultural Responsiveness 3. Greater Opportunities to Learn 4. More Effective Instruction 5. Authentic Family and Community Engagement 6. Systemic initiatives

Addressing the Achievement Gap38 1. Changed Beliefs and Attitudes Caring, positive relationships Expectations Efficacy, effort-based ability Persistence Strategies for Closing the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap39 2. Cultural Competence and Responsiveness Develop and foster cultural competence Confront racism (system of advantage based on race) Adopt anti-racist approaches Acknowledge legitimacy of cultural heritages Create/maintain trusting relationships Teach students to know and take pride in their own and each other’s cultural heritages Use wide variety of instructional strategies Incorporate multicultural information across school subjects Strategies for Closing the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap40 3. Greater Opportunity to Learn Extended Learning Time Before and After School “Double dipping” Summer school, year around All-day kindergarten Early childhood, Pre-school Rigorous Curriculum Personalized support Enriched and Varied Programs Strategies for Closing the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap41 4. Effective Instruction Use core learning principles Use standards for high quality intellectual performance Teach for understanding Balance basic and advanced skills Personalize instruction to meet each student’s need Use data and assessments for learning Support students to insure they learn Involve adults who share children’s culture Develop and maintain coherence in systems Strategies for Closing the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap42 5. Authentic Family/Community Involvement Increase opportunities for authentic involvement Parenting Communication Volunteering Learning at home Decision-making Collaborate with the community, build partnerships Reach out in non-traditional ways to engage families Strategies for Closing the Gap

Addressing the Achievement Gap43 6. System Initiatives Improve learning environment for all students, particularly students of color Build cultural competence Promote anti-racist and anti-bias approaches Increase instructional coherence and effectiveness System-wide vision of good instruction Data-use and assessment for learning Reallocate resources based on student needs Assign most qualified teachers to students with most needs Allocate resources equitably Expand/deepen school & district improvement strategies Strategies for Closing the Gap

Implications/Next Steps Changes in state and district systems Take leadership in creating vision of equity and excellence Create political will to make change Build partnerships and increase collaboration Allocate resources based on student needs Addressing the Achievement Gap44

Addressing the Achievement Gap45 Changes by individuals, schools and communities Use core learning principles Use standards for high quality intellectual performance Teach for understanding Balance basic and advanced skills Personalize instruction to meet each student’s need Use data and assessments for learning Support students to insure they learn Involve adults who share children’s culture Develop and maintain coherence in systems Implications/Next Steps

Addressing the Achievement Gap46 Final Audience Activity What professional sources have you found valuable? What programs or activities are working based on your experience? Record ideas on feedback form Share ideas with your neighbor

What Appears to be Working? Chenowith, K. (2007). “It’s Being Done”: Academic Success in Unexpected Schools. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. Center for Improvement of Student Learning. OSPI Partnership for Learning Success Stories