Achievement Gap

Education Trust: Washington's Education Watch Profile

maureen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:56:04 -0500

Created by The Education Trust, this terrific snapshot breaks down Washington's NAEP performance, education attainment, teacher quality and curriculum rigor by socioeconomics and ethnicity.

The All-Seeing Eye of Ed Trust

maureen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:51:11 -0500

Looking a terrific snapshot of where Washington stands in closing the achievement gap and ensuring the success of all students? Ed Trust hears you. They’ve created a fantastic series of student achievement profiles for all 50 states that break down NAEP performance, education attainment, teacher quality and curriculum rigor by socioeconomics and ethnicity. Check out Washington’s 2009 profile here.

Washington AP Exam Results Bittersweet

laura — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:31:48 -0600

The number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams has been on the rise for the last five years in Washington, and their scores are also on the rise too, according to the 2009 AP Report to the Nation. Washington placed as one of the nation’s top five states with the largest increase of A.P exam scores of a three or higher (the score needed to earn college credit), since 2003. A.P exams are scored from 1-5, and a score of three or higher, in most cases, means college credit.

Many college professors have a shared concern that students are not ready for college-level work, so the increase in A.P exam performance is good news.

However, the news is bittersweet. Despite Washington ranking 17th overall in the nation for the greatest number of 12th graders scoring three or greater on AP exams, it shows African Americans are significantly underrepresented. African American students made up 4.5 % of the high school class of 2008 in Washington, however only 1.5% of these students scored a three or higher on the A.P exams.

Could our overall ranking and the participation of minority students have been even higher if we had taken the $13 million grant offered to WA last year by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) to boost AP participation, particularly for underrepresented students, and strengthen professional development for AP teachers? The experience of another state that did take a NMSI grant –Alabama- suggests yes, as the achievement gap between black and white high school students on Advanced Placement exams is closing faster in Alabama than in any other state.

Washington State Superintendent Randy Dorn said, “This shows that as we continue to open access to A.P classes, students will step up to meet rigorous standards.” Dorn said students need to achieve higher academic skills in order to compete in a world economy, which we definitely agree with.

Dorn said Washington’s best chance to increase access to A.P class enrollment is through Career and Technical Education. While this may be one strategy, we don’t believe it’s the only one.

Most certainly, we hope Mr. Dorn will support future opportunities to get much-needed AP professional development support and try the innovative strategies being successfully pursued by other states.

Granger High School: Closing the Latino Achievement Gap

laura — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:04:17 -0600

The Latino student body continues to grow significantly nationally—and by a dramatic 268% in Washington over the last twenty years—yet more and more Latino students are falling through the cracks. Latinos continue to trail behind in graduation rates, dropout rates, literacy rates, and college preparedness rates.

But it doesn’t need to be this way, as evidenced by the growing number of high-performing schools with large Latino student bodies. Consider the Yakima’s Granger High School, where eighty percent of the student body is Latino, the third highest percentage in the state.

From the Seattle PI:

“More than 90 percent of the Class of 2008 -- almost all of whom are low-income -- graduated from high school on time.That's not all -- a whopping 90 percent of the 62 graduates are going on to some kind of post-secondary education. Thirty-seven percent are going directly to four-year colleges, 14 percent to technical schools and more than a third to two-year colleges.”

Yes, it can be done. Student success at Granger high school is a result of teamwork between educators, parents and students. Teachers are mentors who connect with students, and the students take action by leading their own conferences with parents. Practicing the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) daily helps too. Sounds like “believing is achieving” to me.

This is just a snapshot of one school’s success, but look at what can be accomplished if everyone works together. Granger High School is an inspiring example where people come together to ensure Latino students are prepared for college and work. Now, what are we waiting for?

Beginning Wednesday 2/4 and ending on Friday 2/6, The Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) is holding an education conference in Tacoma, and a legislative day in Olympia. Their mission is to improve academic achievement of Latino/a students in Washington State. Visit the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs for additional information regarding public policy development and the delivery of government services to the Hispanic community.

2009 Middle Level Principal of the Year award: Christine Lynch

laura — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:42:10 -0600

The best job in the world is being principal of Shaw Middle School in Spokane, Wash., according to Christine Lynch, principal of the school for the last six years. Lynch received the Middle Level Principal of the Year award on Monday by the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP). Under her watchful eye the school has won two awards for improved student success over the last two years. Lynch’s motto is “powerful instruction for all students.”

Known by her colleagues as a courageous leader, and someone who brings passion and purpose to the school, Lynch continues to make progress at closing the school’s achievement gap. At Shaw Middle School roughly 77 percent of the student body qualifies for free and reduced rate lunches. And, according to city-data.com, 17.9 percent of residents in Spokane lived below the poverty line in 2007.

In 2006, the middle school was named a Title I Distinguished School for closing the achievement gap in math. Last year, the school received a Title I Improvement Award from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for improving performance in every student group. In the categories of special education, English Language Learners (ELL), low-income and students of color, Shaw is a leader in the Spokane district.

Lynch attributes her success to the hard work she has done together with parents and teachers. She encourages twice-a-year student-led conferences between students, parents and their teachers. And, Lynch also makes professional development for teachers a priority. Her door is always open to anyone who seeks mentoring or coaching. “I could never do this work alone,” says Lynch.

Lynch was one of six finalists chosen by the state’s 2009 Middle Level Principal of the Year panel, the Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). The categories evaluated in choosing Lynch and Shaw Middle School as the winner were collaborative leadership, personalization, curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Lynch is making a difference with her continual commitment to excellence. She is dedicated to teamwork together with teachers and parents to ensure every student at Shaw Middle School has a chance for academic success and ample opportunity.

Planning Ahead: Innovative Schools in Washington

laura — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:31:08 -0600

Just like Washington and the rest of the nation, educators in Boston want to close the achievement gap in their state. And by taking action and opening up charter schools and innovative pilot schools, a recent report issued by The Boston Foundation (TBF) shows they have made progress.

The most positive results on student achievement were found in charter schools, according to the report. Nonetheless, the innovative pilot schools provide another high quality choice for parents, when it comes to their student’s education. Allowing students to attend pilot schools, means districts won’t lose money, which is what happens when students leave their district to attend charter schools elsewhere.

From The Boston Foundation report:

“The researchers found that charter middle schools eliminated half the black-white achievement gap in math… This study provides further support for the idea that the unique type of autonomy provided by charter schools can make the difference in getting results for kids”.

While charter schools are not yet an option here in Washington, it’s important that we explore all options that will improve our public school system. And quite possibly, pilot schools might be a step closer to fixing the achievement gap in our state.

Does Washington Have a "Chance for Success?"

laura — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:10:01 -0600

It’s national report card time for education, and where does Washington stand on the grading scale? Well, here’s a hint…average.

Yes, that’s right, Washington earned an overall “C” (75.2%). The nation was measured in several different areas in Quality Counts 2009, a report published by-Education Week, whose mission is to raise awareness about important issues in American education. The areas that were measured are listed below, and shown with Washington’s scores.

1. Chance-for-Success: B- (80.3)
2. K-12 Achievement: C- (70.9)
3. School Finance: C- (72.3)
4. Standards, Assessment, & Accountability: B- (79.6)
5. Transitions & Alignment: C (75)
6. The Teaching Profession: C (73)

Each area in the list above also contains subcategories, which are pretty explanatory. But I am only going to look specifically at the highest area, Chance for Success-which received a B- (80.3). So, what does “Chance for Success” really mean?

Well, here is an excerpt:

“The EPE Research Center’s Chance-for-Success Index provides a unique cradle-to-career perspective on a state’s roles in helping young children get off to a good start, providing youths with a quality education during the schooling years, and offering adults signiﬁcant opportunities for rewarding careers. While the nation as a whole receives a grade of C-plus, a state-by-state comparison reveals that an individual’s opportunities depend greatly on where he or she lives. For the second year in a row, Massachusetts ranks ﬁrst in the nation, earning the only A for Quality Counts 2009. At the opposite extreme, four states received a D-plus, the same grades they were awarded last year.”

Washington scored higher than 27 states, and beat the National average 76.2 percent in this area. The number one spot went to Massachusetts, with a score of 94.6 percent. So, how can Washington improve its “Chance for Success”, and move up the list? Well, change has to occur.

For example, in the top three states, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut, at least 58 percent of three and four year olds are enrolled in preschool. In Washington, only 39.1 percent are enrolled. Increasing “proficiency” on the NAEP for 4th grade reading, and 8th grade mathematics would also help. Washington scored in the thirties in these areas, while the top two states scored in the forties and fifties. And raising the high school graduation rate, which is roughly 70% percent can’t hurt either.

Yes, Washington has some education work to do, and areas to improve, that’s no surprise. But on a National level, successful opportunity from the beginning of early schooling through work is more favorable than 27 other states around the country. And that isn’t too bad.

Tackling the Other Achievement Gap

larry — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:13:42 -0600

Think it’s just disparities in teacher quality and school leadership that contribute to the achievement gap between minority students and their peers? Think again. Disparities in technology training and access play a huge role in limiting achievement and post-secondary options for minority students. So what are individuals in Washington and across the nation doing to confront the technology achievement gap? Well, we’ve wrangled two frontrunners on this issue to speak at an upcoming breakfast you won’t want to miss.

Jane Margolis, a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Democracy, Education and Access at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, has spent her career studying the effects of technology access on the success of individuals. In Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing, Margolis looks at the daily experiences of students and teachers in three Los Angeles public high schools: an overcrowded urban high school, a math and science magnet school, and a well-funded school in an affluent neighborhood. What she finds is that insidious “virtual segregation” that maintains inequality.

To close the technology achievement gap, Margolis recommends closely examining school structures (such as course offerings and student-to-counselor ratios) and belief systems—including teachers’ assumptions about their students and students’ assumptions about themselves. In order to frame these problems and solutions for Washington state, Trish Milines Dziko, past Microsoft executive and founder of the Technology Access Foundation (TAF), will speak to what her organization—as well as the newly founded TAF Academy in Federal Way—is doing to offer local minority students technology access and high-demand skills. Dziko will also moderate an intimate discuss with Margolis on what educators, community members and policymakers can do to make sure all students have the tools they need to excel—no matter path they take in life.

Date: Thursday, December 4
Time: 7:30-9 a.m.
Place: Madison Renaissance Hotel, Madison Ballroom
515 Madison Street, Seattle 98104 (Map)
Cost: $35 pre-paid (includes a book)
Tables: $250 for a table with 8 premium seats
Register: ONLINE through Brown Paper Tickets or contact Kathleen Costello, 206.625.9655.

More Kids in AP: Results WA could have been proud of

Caroline — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:47:52 -0600

This spring, WA walked away from a six-year $13.2 million grant to add and strengthen Advanced Placement (AP) math and science courses sponsored by the public-private National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI).

Six other states accepted the NMSI grants—Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia. The emerging results suggest that WA missed out on a promising program. In the six NMSI states, AP enrollment increased over 50 percent as the number of students taking AP courses soared from 8,000 to 13,000 in just one year. Using the NMSI grants, the six states also tutored over 13,000 AP students and trained nearly 3000 teachers and teacher leaders on how to deliver high-quality instruction in AP courses.

“Why did we leave money for public schools on the table?” you might sensibly ask in a state that ranks 43rd in the nation for per pupil spending. The short answer: Local negotiations with NMSI broke down due issues with merit pay for teachers. Roughly 22 percent of the grant ($2.9M) would have paid teachers for voluntarily taking part in training to improve AP instruction and rewarded those teachers who helped their students succeed in AP classes. The remaining 88 percent of the grant ($10.1M ) covered the costs to train new and current AP teachers and provide tutoring to AP students.

Now, you might ask, “Do Washington students really need great AP courses?” Consider the following:

AP courses increase college readiness and graduation rates. Students passing AP courses are three times more likely to earn a college degree than other students. African-Americans and Hispanics who pass an AP exam are four times more likely to graduate from college. Even young people who go to work directly after high school find they need the same skills to succeed on-the-job as college-bound students.
AP students in the US are more competitive internationally. US AP calculus and AP physics students rank at or near the top of performance on math and science tests given to students around the world, while non-AP students in the US rank at or near the bottom. Our young people need the critical thinking skills fostered by rigorous courses, like AP, to effectively compete in today’s global economy.

In the spirit of trying to learn from effective approaches to accelerating math and science achievement, we will continue to track student outcomes in the NMSI states and push for more effective negotiations in the future. More information can be found at www.nationalmathandscience.org.

Almost Live-Blogging the State Board of Education Meeting, Part II

maureen — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:57:47 -0500

It's Day 2 of the State Board of Education Meeting in Pasco, WA. Since I left off yesterday, there has been more rigorous discussion about the form of the new accountability system and index and the implementation of new standards-aligned, math curriculum for the state. Stay tuned throughout the day for updates, non sequiturs and potentially juicy tidbits.

8:52 a.m. Making sure CORE 24 becomes a reality is going to take A LOT of work. The Board is currently discussing the charter and work of the "CORE 24 Implementation Task Force."

Several board members have concerns that, as a policy-making board, the State Board shouldn't truck too deeply into implementation, but should work with educators in lieu of piloting the new grad requirements.

9:19 a.m. Bottomline: The Core 24 Implementation Task Force will need to be FULL of high school counselors.

Mary Jean Ryan wants to hold off bringing the task force together until January so that the Board can work on making a big legislative push to fund CORE 24. Umm...yeah, good idea.

9:50 a.m. Mike Kluse, the director for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Battelle, is now presenting on one of our favorite topics: The Tri-Cities STEM school!

The STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math) High School is being developed by so many powerhouses (WSU, Battelle, Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland Schools) its a miracle they've been able to come together so quickly. In anycase, they deserve a hats off for bringing the cultures of business, K-12 and higher ed together and actually getting something done.

9:54 a.m. "This is not just a school for top students or only future scientists--its to give everyone the gift of a STEM-based education. It will be completely representative of the district," says Saundra Hill, Pasco Supt.

Students at the STEM school will likely spend their seniors as assistants to scientists at Battelle. COOL.

9:58 a.m. The school is tentatively scheduled to open next year, but they face a lot of challenges--specifically finding a space to house the school.

10:40 a.m. Now we're on to the inclusion of Native American history into Washington Social Studies courses. It's in the law--and standards--but how do we ensure its actually being taught?

10:44 a.m. Basically it means the state needs to develop standardized units on Tribal Sovereignty for each of the grade bands. Now i'm certainly not against this. Very for it, actually. Native American history is grossly overlooked in our schools. BUT, isn't the whole point of this curriculum based on making it tailored to hyper-local (as in, the Sealth tribe used to live in my neighborhood) tribes? Maybe the curriculum has some fill-in-the-blanks?

10:49 a.m. Kris Mayer, "How do we train the teaching force to actually use these units effectively?" Response: We want collect student work and some classroom-based assessments.

11:10 a.m. Bernal Baca, "People often ask, because they weren't taugh in school, 'what more do these people want?' That's troubling. Understanding sovereignty and the agreement of two governments is the key to cultural understanding within our society." Here, here.

The State Board plans to support OSPI in the implementation of units on Tribal Sovereignty and Native American History.

11:32 a.m. It's public comment time, but my battery is dying. Regardless, Gene Juarez, an asst. supt. in ESD 123 just offered up a great testimony and voiced the support of 23 supts in support of CORE 24. He noted that ESD 123 was ready and willing to begin phase-in of CORE 24 as soon as possible. Hooray!

11:35 Now, OSPI's Brian Jeffries is giving a presentation on Washington's WASL score information from the Class of 2008, 2009 and 2010.