Above the door of a middle school classroom I visited
recently, there hung a sign that epically reinforced the power of suggestion. In
big bold letters, it said, “NO EXCUSES!” That was the unspoken theme of this
week’s African American
Achievement Gap Committee meeting: We can’t accept any excuses for the gulf
in performance between poor and minority students and their peers.
Established earlier this year by HB 2722, the committee is scheduled to deliver a report to the legislature next year and issue recommendations on how the state should aggressively close the African American achievement gap. Accordingly, Tuesday’s meeting featured the consultation of Ed Trust achievement gap guru Paul Ruiz. A provocative speaker, Ruiz advised the committee to shy away from “just creating more programs,” focus on goals for the state and advocate for the policy that would support those goals.
“Here’s a marker,” Ruiz said. “Within five years Washington will double the number of black students in AP courses…I would like to see the number of 8th grade students moving on to high school doubling, the number of black students in honors courses tripling and the number of black students going on to college doubling.”
These are lofty goals for Washington, Ruiz admitted, but not within the bounds of a system that doesn’t accept excuses for the preparation of all its students.
Ruiz also advocated for a restructuring of the teacher pay and assignment system.
“As a system, we give the children who need the most, teachers with the least experience. And teachers leave these schools just as they are becoming successful. Where’s the status associated with teaching in a high poverty school? Right now it’s zero. Medical interns receive extra pay for taking on the most difficult specialties. Why can’t we do the same for teachers?”
Waves of nods circled around the room. Let’s hope when the committee’s report comes out, there won’t need to be any excuses for a lack of bold ideas.
Check out my girl Heather’s
blog from the League of Education Voters
for another take on the meeting.