1. IMPROVING ACHIEVEMENT AND CLOSING GAPS BETWEEN GROUPS Prepared for the Louisiana School Boards Association by The Education Trust, 2003

2. WHERE ARE WE NOW? Key Facts on the Achievement Gap Elementary Literacy Middle School Math Literacy

3. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Where Are We Now? 4th Grade Reading, All Students, 1998 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

4. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Where Are We Now? 8th Grade Mathematics All Students 2000 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

5. Underneath those nation-wide figures, there are gaps of all sorts… including gaps among states

6. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Differences Among States: Grade 4 Reading

7. …and gaps to all kids proficient (or even to basic)

8. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Gap to at least Basic: Grade 4 Reading 28 65 62

9. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Gap to at least Basic: Grade 8 Math 23 68 60

10. Clearly, we have a lot of heavy lifting to do.

11. During seventies and eighties we made a lot of progress...

12. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Gaps Narrow, Then Mostly Widen NAEP Reading, 17 Year-Olds Source: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress (p. 107) Washington, DC: US Department of Education, August 2000

13. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Gaps Narrow, Then Hold Steady or Widen: NAEP Math Scores, 13 Year-Olds Source: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress (p. 108) Washington, DC: US Department of Education, August 2000

14. But that progress stopped during the nineties

15. And no matter how you look at the data, a lot remains to be done.

16. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 By Race, Ethnicity 4th Grade Reading 1998 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

17. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 By Family Income 4th Grade 1998 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

18. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP 8th Grade Mathematics 2000 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

19. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP 8th Grade Math Performance 2000 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

20. By End of High School?

21. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Do Math at Same Levels As White 13 Year Olds Source: NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends Summary Tables (online)

22. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Read at Same Levels as White 13 Year Olds Source: NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends Summary Tables (online)

23. ADD IT ALL UP...

24. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Of Every 100 White Kindergartners: (24 Year-Olds) Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

25. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Of Every 100 African American Kindergartners: (24 Year-Olds) Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

26. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Of Every 100 Latino Kindergartners: (24 Year-Olds) Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

27. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 College Graduates by Age 24 Source: Tom Mortenson, Research Seminar on Public Policy Analysis of Opportunity for Post Secondary, 1997.

28. WHY?

29. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 What We Hear Adults Say: nThey’re poor; nTheir parents don’t care; nThey come to schools without breakfast; nNot enough books nNot enough parents...

30. But if they’re right, then why are poor and minority children performing so high in...

31. Some schools...

32. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Wrigley Elementary n78% Low-Income n3rd Highest Performing in State in Reading n6th Highest Performing in State in Writing KENTUCKY Sources: Kentucky Department of Education Web site, http://www.kde.state.ky.us/

33. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Mount Royal Elementary/Middle, Baltimore, MD n99% African American n73% Low-Income nHighest Performing in State on state’s 5th grade Math test. nTop 10% of state in 5th grade reading. MARYLAND * or tied Sources: Maryland Department of Education Web site, http://www.msde.state.md.us/

34. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Pimlico Elementary, Baltimore, MD n 100% African American n 94% Low- Income n Top 1% in improvement on the state’s 5th grade Math test. Maryland Sources: Maryland Department of Education Web site, http://www.msde.state.md.us/

35. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Prince Edward County High, Farmville VA Sources: Virginia Department of Education Web site, http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/2002SOLpassrates.html.http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/2002SOLpassrates.html (715 students – 55% African American and Latino)

36. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Dispelling the Myth

37. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Dispelling the Myth

38. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Dispelling the Myth

39. Some districts...

40. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Aldine, TX: Raising Achievement for All While Narrowing Gaps Source: Texas Education Agency-Academic Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through 2001.

41. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Aldine, TX: Raising Achievement for All While Narrowing Gaps Source: Texas Education Agency-Academic Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through 2001.

42. And some entire states...

43. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 4th Grade Math African American Gains Between 1992 and 2000 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

44. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 4th Grade Math Latino Gains Between 1992 and 2000 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

45. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 North Carolina: Gains in Grade 4 Reading Outpace the Nation, 1992-1998 Source: NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress

46. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Connecticut: Gains in Grade 4 Reading Outpace the Nation, 1994-98 Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

47. Differences among states so large that minority and/or poor students in some states outperforming white and/or non-poor students in others.

48. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 8th Grade Writing: African Americans in Texas Perform as Well or Better Than Whites in 7 States Source: NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress

49. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 What We Hear Students Say: We CAN Learn, But… nsome teachers don’t know their subjects ncounselors underestimate our potential nprincipals dismiss concerns ncurriculum and expectations are low

50. Where’s Louisiana in All This?

51. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP MATH: Louisiana 4th Graders (2000)

52. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP 4th Grade Math: LA (1992-2000)

53. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 LA: NAEP Grade 4 Math nLA students made third biggest growth in country; nGrowth for every student group-- Whites, Blacks and Hispanics-- exceeded national growth; nIn 2000, performance of each group of students not much different than national average.

54. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP MATH: Louisiana 8th Graders (2000)

55. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP 8th Grade Math: LA (1992-2000)

56. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 LA: NAEP Grade 8 Math nNinth in growth overall; nGrowth for all groups exceeded national growth for that group; nGap widened somewhat; nPerformance for each group significantly below national average.

57. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP READING: Louisiana 4th Graders (1998)

58. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP READING: Louisiana 8th Graders (1998)

59. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP READING OVER TIME: LA nTrends headed down, especially for minorities ; nFourth grade more serious problems.; nPERFECT TIME FOR YOUR NEW READING INITIATIVE!

60. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 NAEP WRITING: Louisiana 8th Graders (1998)

61. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 LA: A Look at the Education “Pipeline”

62. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 What Do We Know About The Places that are Improving Results?

63. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Element 1: They Have Clear, High Goals and Consistent Approaches n They are relentless in pursuing them; n They don’t keep changing strategies.

64. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Students can do no better than the assignments they are given...

65. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Grade 10 Writing Assignment A frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. From literature you have read, select a character who struggled with society. In a well-developed essay, identify the character and explain why this character’s conflict with society is important.

66. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Grade 10 Writing Assignment Write a composition of at least 4 paragraphs on Martin Luther King’s most important contribution to this society. Illustrate your work with a neat cover page. Neatness counts.

67. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Source: Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997. ‘A’ Work in Poor Schools Would Earn ‘Cs’ in Affluent Schools

68. Good Standards and Assessments Can Help Focus But not if they sit on the shelf. Must be clear and specific about what students should learn at every grade level; Monitor constantly.

69. Element 2: All Students in Curriculum Lined Up With Those Goals

70. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Immediate college- going increasing

71. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Most High School Grads Go On To Postsecondary Within 2 Years Source: NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third (1994) Follow up; in, USDOE, NCES, “Access to Postsecondary Education for the 1992 High School Graduates”, 1998, Table 2.

72. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 College Freshmen Not Returning for Sophomore Year Source: Tom Mortensen, Postsecondary Opportunity, No. 89, November 1999

73. Transcript Study: single biggest predictor of college success is QUALITY AND INTENSITY OF HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education.

74. But college prep curriculum has benefits far beyond college.

75. Students of all sorts will learn more...

76. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Source: USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, in Issue Brief: Students Who Prepare for College and Vocation *Grade 8-grade 12 test score gains based on 8th grade achievement. Low Quartile Students Gain More From College Prep Courses*

77. They will also fail less often...

78. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers Source: SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002. Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles

79. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Students of All Abilities Are Generally More Likely to Fail Low-Level Mathematics Courses 9 th -graders earning Ds or Fs by 8 th grade achievement & course assignment Source: Sondra Cooney & Gene Bottoms, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link,” SREB, 2002

80. And they’ll be better prepared for the workplace.

81. Leading districts, states making college prep the default curriculum.

82. Element 3: Leading Districts, States Provide Extra Instruction for Students Who Need It

83. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 When Kids Are Behind, Schools Must Provide More Instruction and Support: nKentucky provides extra time for struggling students in high- poverty schools nMaryland offers extra dollars for 7th and 8th graders who need more support

84. And if you don’t live in a smart state? Many schools, districts finding ways to double, even triple, amount of time spent on literacy, math.

85. Element 4: Good Teaching Matters More Than Anything Else

86. Students who have several strong teachers in a row, will thrive no matter what their family background.

87. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

88. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

89. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

90. Most teachers--like most other professionals--can get more and more effective.

91. Accordingly, smart states, districts do two important things: n STOP drive-by workshops; n invest in intensive, focused professional development.

92. How Can We Pay for These Investments in Students and Teachers

93. NCLB will help… But states must do their part by spending at least as much on poor and minority children as they do on other children.

94. 42 of 49 states spend less on poor children

95. Smallest gap North Dakota $32 less per child in high-poverty districts Works out to $12,800 per average-sized elementary school

96. New York $2794 less per child in high poverty districts Works out to $1.17 million per average- sized elementary school

97. Currently, LA provides $5512 per child (state and local dollars) for low-poverty districts compared to $4718 per child in high poverty districts.

98. That’s a difference of $793 per student…and $23,790 per classroom.

99. In the meantime, though, we’ve got to work toward a more equitable distribution of teachers.

100. Virtually every high poverty school has some spectacularly wonderful teachers, but...

101. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often Taught by Misassigned* Teachers *Teachers who lack a major or minor in the field Source: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future (p.16) 1996.

102. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned Teachers Source: Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science (Rand: 1990)

103. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced* Teachers *Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience. “High” and “low” refer to top and bottom quartiles. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Monitoring Quality: An Indicators Report,” December 2000.

104. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 High-Poverty Schools Get More Low-Scoring* Teachers *Teachers scoring in the bottom quartile on on SAT/ACT. “High-poverty” schools have 2/3 or more students eligible for reduced-price lunch. Source: Education Week, “Quality Counts 2001,” January 2001.

105. In Louisiana?

106. Out-of-Field Teachers LA: Secondary Schools Low-poverty schools: 38% High Poverty schools: 51%

107. Devastating Impact

108. If we had the courage and creativity to change these patterns?

109. “By our estimates from Texas schools, having an above average teacher for five years running can completely close the average gap between low- income students and others.” John Kain and Eric Hanushek

110. The Challenge Ahead: NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

111. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Statement of Purpose “Closing the achievement gap between high- and low- performing children, especially the achievement gaps between minority and nonminority students, and between disadvantaged children and their more advantaged peers.” 20 U.S.C. § 6301

112. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Some leaders are talking about the challenges in the new law one way……

113. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 “Requiring every group of students in every school to be proficient within 12 years, is like asking every kid to jump the Grand Canyon.” –educator, Connecticut June 10, 2002 Associated Press

114. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 "I have difficulty with the standards because they're so unattainable for so many of our students... We just don't have the same kids they have on Long Island or Orchard Park.” –Superintendent, New York October 21, 2002, The Buffalo News

115. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 “They may as well have decreed that pigs can fly... I think the State Board of Education is dealing with reality, not myth. Some of these politicians just have their heads in the sand.” -Wayne Johnson, CTA President Los Angeles Times August 6, 2002

116. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Think about the messages in what they say… nTo parents…about whose kids matter; nTo students…about how much educators think they can learn; and, nTo teachers…about whether they even have to try.

117. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Other leaders are talking about the challenge in very different ways….

118. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 "We know the bar will always be raised. I call it a forklift, not a cart, because it's going forward and going up. But we are here to educate children, and we should have our standards raised." –Martha Stone, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Irving School District, TX

119. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 "Neither poverty nor race is an excuse. All children can rise to the standards and there are many schools in the data that you have to prove it.” –Rick Mills, Commissioner of Education, New York. March 28, 2002, New York Times

120. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 “With proper instruction, students here can blow other kids away in the humanities. The more you challenge them, the better they'll do.” –Dolores Edwards Sullivan, an English teacher in the predominantly African American Roosevelt school district, whose 11th graders are starting to earn higher marks on state Regents exams.

121. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 “Yes, parents may have the greatest impact on how their children come to us. But we have the greatest impact on how they leave us.” –Superintendent, North Carolina

122. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 "If you love children, you can't say this law is a waste... It has to come down to someone making sure these kids are getting an education.” –Denise Allen, Kentucky November 13, 2002, Lexington Herald Leader

123. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 "At the end of the day, we are responsible for every child. Will we do it? Certainly. Will we look good early on? I doubt it." –Superintendent, Wake County June 2, 2002 News and Observer (NC)

124. Louisiana School Boards Association Monroe, LA March 7, 2003 Yes, this is going to be hard. But how we communicate will play a large role in whether people will even try.

125. The Education Trust For More Information... www.edtrust.org 202-293-1217