1. The Achievement Gap A Generational Perspective Presented to EDUC 7752 November 11, 2008 Marjorie Economopoulos

2. Overview Focus on mathematics (middle & high) Gender Race/Ethnicity Data driven decision making –Education Trust, Katie Haycock presentation How does GA measure up? OK, what can we do about it all?

3. Before We Begin 1.Does your school practice tracking (grouping) in Mathematics, reading, other? What are a few advantages? A few disadvantages? 2.What do the students in the advanced class look like? Who are the students in the slowest group?

5. Gender Bias Boys v. girls –1963 adv math class at FSU (I was one of two girls in class, similar for Physics, Chem…) –Johns Hopkins research “innate ability” less for females (the math gene) –Efforts were focused, eg. AAUW, 50+ yrs –1987, Sprayberry HS, Calculus class 50% girls –Opportunities are now, still some inequities… –Awareness, concerted efforts to diminish differences

6. Brown v. Board of Education 50+ years later: a two tiered education system Achievement gap remains wide Efforts to close gap require change in belief systems of teachers and BOE Good results are happening Need concerted efforts to expand results

7. Some National Data The Education Trust, Katie Haycock –A lifelong career –Data driven results oriented –Closing the achievement gap –A passion for kids October 2008, a talk to superintendents in Springfield, Illinois

8. How are We Doing in GA? National Center for Educational Statistics, NAEP we are similar to nation Cobb County, CRCT, GHSGT Capital View Elementary, APS

9. NAEP Nation Mathematics Grade 8

10. NAEP Georgia Mathematics Grade 8

11. Cobb Co, AYP CRCT Mathematics

12. Cobb Co, AYP GHSGT Mathematics

14. Capital View Elem, APS CRCT Mathematics

15. Demographics of Tracking Who are the students in these classes? Advanced math classes Regular (on-level) Slow, modified, inclusion, … New HS Math curriculum is designed to help alleviate the problem, implementation only exacerbates it

16. What Can We Do? Speak of results, data driven decision making Use your courses at KSU to learn more about how to obtain high performing results Use your new “clout” with a Masters degree to help influence change

17. Discussion Presentation can be found at www.ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~meconomo

18. References: Gender Research on the Male/Female Student Achievement Gap http://www.swcompcenter.org/pdf/Gender_Overview.pdf In 2005, the U.S. Department of Education selected WestEd as the agency to operate the Southwest Comprehensive Center (SWCC) with RMC Research Corporation and American Institutes for Research (AIR) as subcontractors on this project.WestEd For 50 years, the AAUW Educational Foundation has been breaking through barriers for women and girls. In 1958, the Educational Foundation was officially established to administer AAUW's fellowship and grant programs, advancing educational and professional opportunities for women in the United States and around the globe.. http://www.aauw.org/ef50/index.cfmhttp://www.aauw.org/ef50/index.cfm American Association of University Women

19. Gender cont’d Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail our Children, Executive Summary American Association of University Women, follow-up to How Schools Shortchange Girls. http://www.aauw.org/research/upload/GGES.pdf U.S. Culture Discourages Girls from Excelling at Math October 10, 2008, Mathematical Association of America, online http://www.maa.org/news/101008girls.html http://www.maa.org/news/101008girls.html

20. References: Achievement Gap Fifty Years after Brown v. Board of Education: A Two-Tiered Education System http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0 000019b/80/27/f8/c7.pdf Full text report available online, published by National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, www.nctaf.orgwww.nctaf.org The Education Trust, Katie Haycock, Closing the Achievement Gap, http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/ http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/ Data presentations available at http://www2.edtrust.org/EdTrust/Product+Catalog/recent+presentations.htm http://www2.edtrust.org/EdTrust/Product+Catalog/recent+presentations.htm

21. References: Data Sources Georgia Department of Education, CRCT and GHSGT http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ayp2008/performance.asp?SchoolID=63 3-0000-b-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-8-0-0 National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, NAEP data + much more http://nces.ed.gov/ Under Data Tools, various methods of reporting. Dynamic reports are really fun and powerful