closing the achievement gap university of the state of new york albany, ny november, 2005
TRANSCRIPT
CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAPUniversity of the State of New YorkAlbany, NY November, 2005
Every year, thousands of children head toward school
already behind.
2005 NAEP Grade 4 ReadingAll Students, Nation
38
33
30
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
All Students
Perc
en
t o
f S
tud
en
ts
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
2005 NAEP Grade 4 Readingby Race/Ethnicity, Nation
59
28
56 51
25
29
32
2930
35
13
40
15 18
40
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
AfricanAmerican
Asian Latino NativeAmerican
White
Perc
ent
of
Stu
dents
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
2005 NAEP Grade 4 Readingby Family Income, Nation
54
23
30
35
15
42
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Poor Non-Poor
Perc
en
t o
f S
tud
en
ts
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
Sadly, rather than organizing our educational system to
ameliorate this problem, we organize it to exacerbate the
problem.
How?
By giving students who arrive with less, less in school, too.
Some of these “lesses” are a result of choices that policymakers make.
New York: Universal Pre-K?
Age Percent Served in HS, UPK, EPK
4 year olds 56%
3 year olds 14%
New York State: Huge Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per
StudentGap Nationa
l Rank
High Poverty vs. Low Poverty Districts
-$2,040 per student
#1
High Minority vs. Low Minority Districts
-$1,797 per student
#3
Source: The Funding Gap, 2004, by Kevin Carey. Data are for 2002
Gaps of This Sort Translate Into…
Per Typical Classroom of 25
-$65,375
Per Typical Elementary School of 400
-$1,046,000
Even at the higher education level, we spend less per student in the institutions where most
low-income students start.
Expenditures per student
2 Year Colleges $9,183
4 Year Colleges $27,973
Source: NCES Digest of Education Statistics, 2003
But some of these “lesses” are a function of choices that
we educators make.
Source: Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997.
Students in Poor Schools Receive ‘A’s for Work That Would Earn ‘Cs’ in Affluent
Schools87
35
56
34 41
22 21
11
0
100
Per
cent
ile -
CT
BS
4
A B C DGrades
Seventh Grade Math
Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools
Source: CCSSO, State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education, 2001
Fewer Latino students are enrolled
in Algebra 2
45
62
0
80
1998
Per
cen
t En
rolle
d
Latino
White
Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned Teachers
54%
86%
42%
69%
0%
100%
90-100% Non-White 90-100% White
Certified in Field BA or BS in Field
Source: Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science (Rand: 1990)
Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced*
Teachers
20%
11%
21%
10%
0%
25%
High-poverty schools Low-poverty schools
High-minority schools Low-minority schools
*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.
New York State: Low Income Students 4 Times as Likely to be
Taught by Teachers Not Certified in Any of their Current Assignments
4%
17%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
Non-Poor
Poor
Lankford, Loeb and Wykoff. “Teacher Sorting and the Plight of Urban Schools: A Descriptive Analysis.” 2002
New York State: Minority Students 3 Times as Likely to be Taught by Teachers Who Failed Licensure
Exams at Least Once
7%
21%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
White
Non-White
Lankford, Loeb and Wykoff. “Teacher Sorting and the Plight of Urban Schools: A Descriptive Analysis.” 2002
Results are devastating.
Kids who come in a little behind, leave a lot behind.
By end of high school?
African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Do Math at Same Levels
As White 13 Year-Olds
0%
100%
200 250 300 350
Average Scale Score
Per
cent
of
Stud
ents
White 13 Year-Olds African American 17 Year-Olds Latino 17-Year Olds
African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Read at Same Levels As
White 13 Year-Olds
0%
100%
150 200 250 300 350
Average Scale Score
Per
cent
of
Stud
ents
White 13 Year-Olds African American 17 Year-Olds Latino 17 Year-Olds
These patterns are reflected, too, in high
school completion, college entry and college graduation rates.
Students Graduate From High School At Different Rates, 2001*
* 4-Year Graduation Rates
Source: Jay P. Greene and Greg Forster, “Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the United States,” Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, September 2003.
54%51%
79%
52%
72%
0%
100%
African American Asian Latino Native American White
Of Every 100 White Kindergartners:
93 Graduate from high school
65 Complete at least some college
33 Obtain at least a Bachelor’s Degree
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2001, in The Condition of Education 2002.
Of Every 100 African American Kindergartners:
87 Graduate from High School
50 Complete at Least Some College
18 Obtain at Least a Bachelor’s Degree
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Survey, 1971-2001, In The Condition of Education 2002.
Of Every 100 Latino Kindergartners:
63 Graduate from high school
32 Complete at least some college
11 Obtain at least a Bachelor’s Degree
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2001, In The condition of Education 2002.
Of Every 100 American Indian/Alaskan Native
Kindergartners:
58 Graduate from High School
7 Obtain at least a Bachelor’s Degree
(24 Year Olds)
College Graduates by Age 26
Young People From High Income Families
75%
Young People From Low Income Families
8%
Source: Tom Mortenson, Post Secondary Opportunity, 2004.
These patterns are part—but by no means all—
of the reason why we are falling behind other
developed countries.
TIMSS
Source: NCES 1999-081R, Highlights From TIMSS
Nations' Average Science Performance Compared with the U.S.
0%
50%
100%
Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12
Nations scoring higher than the U.S.
Nations scoring the same as the U.S.
Nations scoring below the U.S.
Source: NCES 1999-081R, Highlights From TIMSS
Nations' Average Mathematics Performance Compared with the U.S.
0%
50%
100%
Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12
Nations' scoring higher than the U.S.
Nations scoring the same as the U.S.
Nations scoring below the U.S.
PISA
US 15 Year-Olds Rank Near Middle Of The Pack Among 32 Participating Countries:
1999
U.S. RANKREADING 15TH
MATH 19TH
SCIENCE 14TH
2003: U.S. Ranked 24th out of 29 OECD Countries in Mathematics
300
350
400
450
500
550
Fin
lan
dK
ore
aN
eth
erla
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Japa
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daB
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Sw
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New
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Cze
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Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results , data available at http://www.oecd.org/
Problems are not limited to our high-poverty and high-
minority schools . . .
U.S. Ranks Low in the Percent of Students in the Highest Achievement Level (Level 6)
in Math
0
2
4
6
8
10
Per
cen
t o
f S
tud
ents
Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/
U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29 OECD Countries in the Math Achievement of the Highest-
Performing Students*
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
Bel
giu
mJa
pan
Kor
ea
Sw
itzer
land
Net
her
land
sN
ew Z
eal
and
Fin
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and
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Tu
rkey
Por
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exic
o
Ave
rag
e S
cale
Sco
re
* Students at the 95th PercentileSource: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results , data available at http://www.oecd.org/
U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29OECD Countries in the Math
Achievement of High-SES Students
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
Bel
giu
mN
eth
erla
nds
Fin
lan
dC
zech
Re
pub
licC
ana
daJa
pan
Kor
ea
Sw
itzer
land
Aus
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erm
any
New
Ze
ala
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enm
ark
Sw
ede
nA
ustr
iaH
ung
ary
OE
CD
AV
ER
AG
ES
lova
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epub
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exic
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Ave
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cale
Sco
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Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/
Problems not limited to math, either.
2003 PISA Problem-Solving Results: US #23
Source: OECD, PISA. Problem Solving for Today’s World. 2004
55% of our 15 year olds at problem-solving level 1 or
below.Closest other country?
LATVIA
There is one measure on which we rank high.
Inequality!
Source: OECD, Knowledge and Skills for Life: First Results From PISA 2000, 2001.
*Of 27 OECD countries
Performance Of U.S.15 Year-Olds Highly Variable
PISA 5th – 95th
Gap Rank*Reading (interpreting text) 3
Mathematical Literacy 6 (tie)
Science Literacy 7
But don’t we “make it up by having the best higher
education system in the world” and “sending far more
of our young people to college” than anybody else?
Education Attainment: Then and Now
1970s 2003
Tertiary Completion* #1 #7
OECD-Education at a Glance (Sept 2005)
College Completion Over Time
1970 2001
United States 30% 39%
Ireland 20% 48%
Canada 30% 45%
Spain 16% 36%
United Kingdom
19% 29%
College Graduates Last Year
China 2.5 million
India 2.3 million
US 1.3 million
Can we do better?
What We Hear Many Educators Say:
• They’re poor;• Their parents don’t care;• They come to schools without
breakfast; • Not enough books• Not enough parents . . .
The Postsecondary Equivalent?
• They enter without the necessary skills;
• They have to work to support their families;
• Their peers and families don’t support and value their struggle…
But if they are right, why are low-income students and
students of color performing so high in some schools…
Central Elementary
Paintsville, KY
Central Elementary
• 71% Low-Income
• 99% White
• Outperformed the district and state in 4th grade reading and 5th grade math in 2003
• Made considerable gains in 4th grade reading and 5th grade math scores
Making Gains at Central 4th Grade Reading
87%
100%96%
52%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100% %
Pro
ficie
nt
an
d A
bove
2000 2001 2002 2003
Source: The Department of Education, http://www.schoolresults.org/
Making Gains at Central 5th Grade Math
81%
93% 94%
23%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
% P
rofi
cie
nt
an
d A
bo
ve
2000 2001 2002 2003
Source: The Department of Education, http://www.schoolresults.org/
Centennial Place Elementary School
Atlanta, Georgia
• 92% African American• 64% Low-Income• Performed in the top 2% of Georgia
schools in 4th grade reading in 2003• Performed in top 7 % of Georgia
schools in 4th grade math in 2003
Source: Georgia Department of Education, http://www.doe.k12.ga.us Dispelling the Myth Online, http://www.edtrust.org School Information Partnership, http://www.schoolresults.org
High Achievement at Centennial Place2004 Reading Composite
94 94 92
0
20
40
60
80
100
All African
American
Low Income
Per
cent
Pro
ficie
nt
Source: Georgia Department of Education, http://www.doe.k12.ga.us
High Achievement at Centennial Place2004 Math Composite
89 88 84
0
20
40
60
80
100
All African
American
Low Income
Per
cent
Pro
ficie
nt
Source: Georgia Department of Education, http://www.doe.k12.ga.us
University Park High SchoolWorcester, MA
• Grades 7-12;• 70+% poverty;• 50% ELL;• Most students enter at least two
grade levels behind.
University Park Results: 2004
• Only one 10th grader didn’t pass MA high school exit exam on first attempt (turned out, didn’t attend the school).
• 87% passed at advanced or proficient level.
• Fifth most successful school in the state, surpassing many schools serving wealthy students.
Source: Education Trust analysis of data from National School-Level State Assessment Score Database (www.schooldata.org).
Poverty vs. Achievement in Kentucky Elementary Schools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percent FRPL
Ele
me
nta
ry M
ath
Per
ce
nti
le S
co
re
Source: Education Trust analysis of data from National School-Level State Assessment Score Database (www.schooldata.org).
Poverty vs. Achievement in Kentucky Elementary Schools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percent FRPL
Ele
me
nta
ry M
ath
Pe
rce
nti
le S
co
re
Poverty vs. Achievement in Kentucky Elementary Schools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percent FRPL
Ele
me
nta
ry M
ath
Pe
rce
nti
le S
co
re
Source: Education Trust analysis of data from National School-Level State Assessment Score Database (www.schooldata.org).
Source: Education Trust analysis of data from National School-Level State Assessment Score Database (www.schooldata.org).Data are from 2002.
Poverty vs. Achievement in Michigan Elementary Schools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Percent Low-Income Students
Pe
rce
nt
4th
Gra
de
rs M
ee
tin
g S
tan
da
rd i
n M
ath
Poverty vs. Achievement in New York: 4th Grade Math
Guess What?Also very big differences in
college results…even among those who serve “same”
kinds of students.
Doc/Research Institutions With Similar Students Getting
Different ResultsMedian SAT
Size % Pell
Overall 6 Yr-Grad Rate
White/URM Grad Rate Gap
Penn State 1195
33,975
19%
83% -14%
Univ of Wisconsin
1240
27,711
12%
76% -21%
Texas A & M
1185
33,901
14%
75% -9%
Univ of Washington
1185
25,059
21%
71% -11%
Univ of Minnesota
1145
28,273
16%
54% -19%
Masters Level Institutions With Similar Students Getting Different
ResultsMedian SAT
Size % Pell Overall 6 Yr-Grad Rate
URM 6-Yr Grad Rate
Millersville U of PA
1055 6369
19% 66% 46%
SUNY at Plattsburgh
1045 5130
33% 59% 52%
NW MO State
1010 5043
27% 53% 44%
Northern Michigan U
1010 7831
32% 45% 38%
Steven Austin (TX)
1025 8871
31% 35% 30%
Bac General/Masters Institutions With Similar Students Getting
Different ResultsMedian SAT
Size % Pell Overall 6 Yr-Grad Rate
URM 6-Yr Grad Rate
Elizabeth City (NC)
810 2039 60% 51% 54%
Kentucky State
825 1827 49% 39% 44%
Fayetteville State (NC)
865 3820 55% 38% 39%
U of Ark Pine Bluff
775 2918 68% 31% 31%
Coppin State (MD)
875 2691 57% 22% 22%
Bottom Line:At Every Level of Education, What We Do Matters A Lot!
Doing More
New York
In recent years, New York has made important strides
in raising achievement, especially among low-income
students and students of color.
Between 1998 and 2005, for example, state was 3rd in reading growth among African American
4th graders and 2nd in growth among Latino 4th graders.
But serious challenges remain.
2005 NAEP Grade 4 ReadingAll Students, New York
31
36
34
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
All Students
Perc
en
t o
f S
tud
en
ts
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
2005 NAEP Grade 4 Readingby Race/Ethnicity, New York
50 48
20
33 35
37
17 18
43
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
AfricanAmerican
Latino White
Per
cent
of
Stu
dent
s
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
2005 NAEP Grade 8 MathAll Students, New York
30
39
31
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
All Students
Perc
en
t o
f S
tud
en
ts
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
2005 NAEP Grade 8 Mathby Race/Ethnicity, New York
54 49
17
3436
43
11 14
41
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
AfricanAmerican
Latino White
Per
cent
of
Stu
dent
s
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
NY: 9th Graders Graduating 4 Years Later (2004)
Graduated
Asian 68.8%
Black 45.4%
Latino 42%
White 81%
Includes both Regents and Local Diplomas; Source, NYSED
New York vs. Top 5 States
New York Top States
HS Freshmen entering any US College
34% 52%
Community College Freshmen returning second year
61% 61%
Freshmen at 4-year colleges returning second year
81% 84%
First-time freshmen completing BA in 6 years
55% 64%
Frosh vs. Degrees,NY Statewide (2002)
Freshmen Degrees
Black 21,214 10,710
Asian 10,523 7,419
Latino 18,813 7,988
White 95,425 63,879
6 Year Graduation Rate at Largest State University:
SUNY BuffaloBlack 42%
Asian 52%
Latino 45%
Native American 50%
White 57%
Changing these patterns is not about one more program.This is about whole systems.
But remember, that’s us.
We are the ones who decide:
• Whether to move resources toward pre-k;• What to expect of whom and which
assignments to give;• Which courses to require students to take;• Whether to use our institutional aid dollars to
increase opportunity for low-income students…or to buy more students who can increase our ratings points…
Perhaps most important of all, WE
are the ones who decide who teaches whom.
And whether are courageous enough to take on this perverse status hierarchy
in our profession where status flows not from how good a teacher you are…but
from how elite the kids are that you teach.
Why Does All This Matter? What’s at Stake?
Just one example.
Nationally, there are 772 colleges where at least 5% of
the undergraduates are black.• In 299 of those, the six-year
graduation rates for black students are less than 30%;
• In 164, the six-year graduation rates for black students are less than 20%;
• In 68, the six-year graduation rates for black students are less than 10%.
In colleges where more than 5% of students are Latino…
• 25% have 6-year graduation rates for Latinos less than 30%.
Surely we can do better.
There are now about 890,000 African Americans between
25 and 34 who hold BA Degree
If we could simply cut the black-white graduation rate gap in half, the number of black college grads would grow by 10,000 per year.
Over a decade, that would produce 100,00 more African
Americans with access to opportunities currently
denied.
If we went further, and closed the gap, we could produce 200,000 more
African Americans with such access.
Similar improvement for Latino students would mean
thousands more Latino graduates IN NEW YORK
ALONE!
The Education TrustDownload this Presentation
www.edtrust.orgWashington, DC: 202-293-1217
Oakland, CA: 510-465-6444