The Achievement GapA Generational Perspective

Presented to EDUC 7752 November 11, 2008

Marjorie Economopoulos

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?

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?

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

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

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

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

NAEP NationMathematics Grade 8

NAEP GeorgiaMathematics Grade 8

Cobb Co, AYPCRCT Mathematics

50

60

70

80

90

100

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Per

cent

Mee

ts+E

xcee

ds

White

Hispanic

Black

Cobb Co, AYPGHSGT Mathematics

50

60

70

80

90

100

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Per

cent

Mee

ts+E

xcee

ds

White

Hispanic

Black

Capital View Elem, APSCRCT Mathematics

50

60

70

80

90

100

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Per

cent

Mee

ts+E

xcee

ds

Black

Demographics of TrackingWho 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

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

Discussion

Presentation can be found at

www.ksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~meconomo

References: Gender

Research on the Male/Female Student Achievement Gaphttp://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.

For 50 years, the AAUW Educational Foundation has beenbreaking 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.cfm American Association of University Women

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

MathOctober 10, 2008, Mathematical Association of

America, online http://www.maa.org/news/101008girls.html

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_01/0000019b/80/27/f8/c7.pdf

Full text report available online, published by National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, www.nctaf.org

The Education Trust, Katie Haycock, Closing the Achievement Gap, http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/

Data presentations available at http://www2.edtrust.org/EdTrust/Product+Catalog/recent+presentations.htm

 

References: Data Sources

Georgia Department of Education, CRCT and GHSGT

http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/ayp2008/performance.asp?SchoolID=633-0000-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