Outlook On Education

The Achievement Gap

By Dr. Mary Elizabeth Beach

Recently, I had an opportunity to address members and parent guests at a meeting of the Coalition of Black Leaders in Education. The topic for the evening was “The Achievement Gap and Adequate Yearly Progress.” The audience seemed very interested in the achievement gap conversation, so I thought I’d bring this issue to a wider audience.

Popular opinion seems to be that the No Child Left Behind Act was put into place because African American and Latino students are being left behind in our current education system. We have the data to show the disparity. Looking nationally at the BIG picture, only 15% of the school age population is Black but 35% are labeled mentally retarded and 20% are in special education. What’s wrong with that picture?

And how are our children doing academically? As a country, the United States isn’t doing very well. While only 40% of all fourth graders read proficiently, only 15% of Black students meet that mark. While only 35% of all fourth graders meet the proficiency target in mathematics, African American youngsters are barely at five percent. When we compare the performance of Black students to White students, the picture is clearer. The achievement gap widens.

Look at eighth graders’ performance in math. Over the last ten years, White students have gained 16 points, while their Black counterparts have gained only nine points. On a test with a maximum score of 500 points, White eighth graders are at a score of 308 while Black students are only at a score of 274.

Looking closer to home, how are our African American children doing in comparison to their White classmates? In tenth grade math on the MCAS, for example, White students statewide are scoring more than double in the proficient and advanced scores than are Black students. And though the gap is slightly less in English Language Arts, it remains obvious. Right here in our own city of Springfield, we mirror the national and state picture. African American fourth graders show 17% less students reaching the proficient and advanced level in English Language Arts than their White classmates. There are little rays of hope when we see that Springfield’s Black students slightly out perform their African American counterparts across the state. Slightly out performing a statewide low performing group is not cause for celebration. Obviously we are talking about averages and not individual students. We do have our scholars and students who learn in spite of realities or myths.

Participants at the Coalition of Black Leaders in Education meeting were curious about the reason for the achievement gap. There appears to be a plethora of reasons -- or excuses -- for the achievement gap, not limited to poverty, heredity, family environment, unemployment, health issues and lead poisoning. While it’s nice to know and begin correcting the “why,” we need to address the obvious. The number one reason for the “gap” is low expectations. Low expectations are not limited to people who do not look like our children but are also held by folks of color who look exactly like our children. We must rally and change this prevailing attitude in ourselves and others. As I told the audience at the meeting, I believe we all are passionate about closing the achievement gap. Each of us must take up the crusade to close the gap because it is our responsibility, and they are our children and they deserve nothing less. n