Closing the Achievement Gap - Washington State School Directors ...

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IntroductionEducators in Washington state have made significant advancesin improving education for all children. Establishing highstandards and being accountable through performance assessments arecritical beginnings in realizing a vision of world-class education. The goalis, and continues to be, for all children to meet or exceed the state’s highacademic standards.As documented in numerous state reports and national studies, not allchildren are reaching higher levels of achievement at the same rate. Indistricts across Washington, large groups of students are not meeting standards,creating a gap in achievement that is evident by group. Poverty andrace are substantial reasons for this gap.Establishing the Ad Hoc Achievement Gap Task Force and issuing thisreport mark the first steps in the Washington State School Directors’Association (WSSDA’s) efforts to close the achievement gap. Local schoolboard directors must take the next steps, through governance and policy, toclose the gap so that all children, regardless of race, family income or familybackground, can excel academically. The work of the Task Force and thisreport reflect WSSDA’s commitment to work collaboratively with otherorganizations in a concerted and coordinated effort to end the disparities inachievement between groups of children.It is the paramount duty ofthe state to make ampleprovision for the educationof all children residingwithin its borders, withoutdistinction or preference onaccount of race, color, casteor sex.— Article IX, Section 1Washington StateConstitutionThe Ad Hoc Achievement Gap Task ForceThe Ad Hoc Achievement Gap Task Force was established in January 2001.The Task Force is comprised of Washington school board members directedto make recommendations to the WSSDA Board of Directors, and ultimatelyto all school boards in Washington, on the actions that would bestassist school boards in closing the achievement gap. The Task Force wascharged to accomplish the following:WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL DIRECTORS’ ASSOCIATION1
Assess the achievement gap problem.Identify research, initiatives and other actions being taken by a varietyof agencies and institutions addressing this issue.Based on research, catalog school board policies, initiatives and actionsthat have contributed to ongoing success in reducing or eliminatingthe performance disparity among minorities or children inpoverty.Drawing on the Task Force members’ talents and abilities, and suchexternal resources as may be available, develop and report on bestpractices, model policies, or other school board actions that WSSDAand its members can implement to address the achievement gap issue.Over the course of 22 months, the Task Force listened to numerous presentationsfrom experts in the field and from school districts addressing equityand excellence. Task Force members reviewed research reports and articleson the achievement gap. These presentations and readings were followed byextensive discussion of policy issues and the development of recommendations,all of which are reflected in this report.The goal of the Task Force is to arm school board directors with the knowledge,understanding and tools to improve student learning for all childrenand close the achievement gap. In response to this goal, the Task Forcedeveloped the following guiding principles to serve as a foundation for itsissue analyses and recommendations.Guiding Principles of the Task ForceInequities persist in our society and in education, and school boards mustaccept a leadership role in mitigating these inequities and closing theachievement gap that exists at all grade levels and in school districts of allsizes and locations in Washington state.Closing the achievement gap is critical to preserving American democracyand providing all students with the skills for economic self-sufficiency andopportunities to realize their potential.District policies should improve student learning and ensure that allstudents meet the essential academic learning requirements.Understanding the impact of race and poverty on student learning isessential to closing the achievement gap.Schools cannot close the achievement gap alone. The responsibility isshared with schools, parents and larger community.All students can meet high standards when necessary opportunities,resources and support systems are provided.2CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP: A POLICY ACTION GUIDE
Page 4: Table of ContentsForeword .........
Page 7: My thanks to the members of the Ach
Page 12 and 13: Overview of the PolicyAction GuideT
Page 14 and 15: Understanding theAchievement GapWSS
Page 16 and 17: Data also show a clear pattern of a
Page 18 and 19: cient (LEP) students were dispropor
Page 20 and 21: All Students Can Learn:Evidence Tha
Page 22: The two building graphs are from Wa
Page 25 and 26: Allocation and Alignment of Fiscal
Page 27 and 28: What School Districts Are DoingIn t
Page 29 and 30: The No Child Left Behind Act (www.n
Page 31 and 32: What School Districts Are DoingThe
Page 33 and 34: Questions to Guide the Discussion1.
Page 35 and 36: economically disadvantaged families
Page 37 and 38: “We need to look inside ourdistri
Page 39 and 40: 5. To what degree have new ways to
Page 41 and 42: “Closing the achievementgap requi
Page 43 and 44: “Where there are differentlevels
Page 45 and 46: What School Districts Are DoingKenn
Page 47 and 48: 5. To what degree are parents and c
Page 49 and 50: the classroom, grade level, school
Page 51 and 52: technology and professional develop
Page 53 and 54: tion, learning environments, progra
Page 55 and 56: Statewide 6th Grade ITBS Results: 2
Page 57 and 58: Train teachers to meet the demands
Page 60 and 61:
ReferencesBrumbaugh, S. (1997). “
Page 62:
Waymack N. & Drury, D. (Summer/Fall
Page 65 and 66:
Gary Wilson Principal and Linda Hah
Page 67:
Notes
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