Why is closing the achievement gap important?

Why Is It Important to Close the Achievement Gap? Achievement gaps that begin in school can impact a child's future. NEA data supports what Owyang pointed out. Students trailing in certain academic areas early in school have a lesser chance of completing high school or earning a college degree.

Why is the achievement gap important?

The achievement gap negatively affects individuals and society, as students miss out on job and career opportunities, and the rest of us miss out on the contributions they might have made if there had been no gap.

Why is it important to close the opportunity gap?

Many outcomes, including test scores, improve when schools close opportunity gaps. These schools are improving school climate by moving toward restorative practices that can reduce suspension rates and improve attendance—an especially important consideration for students of color and students with disabilities.

Why we need to stop calling it the achievement gap?

It can perpetuate the idea that students are achieving at a lower level because something is wrong with them, falsely placing the blame on a student's mindset or effort, rather than the years of setbacks they have faced due to socioeconomic disparities [1].

What really works when it comes to closing the achievement gap?

Close cooperation between schools, parents, and the community is one of the keys to closing achievement gaps. Parent involvement has a strong, direct impact on student achievement. Educat- ing parents on student progress and how they can help at home improves student learning.

Closing the achievement gap | IN 60 SECONDS

How does achievement gap affect schools?

California's gap demographics

Black and Latino students significantly trail white and Asian American students in meeting the state's reading and math standards. In some instances — say, performance in reading and math between white and black students — the difference in achievement is more than two-fold.

What roles do schools play in creating or maintaining the achievement gap?

Contributing factors to the achievement gap that are within the school's control include schoolwide factors such as low expectations for a child's achievement, a lack of rigor in the curriculum, large class sizes, tracking groups of children into a less demanding curriculum, unsafe schools, culturally unfriendly ...

What are 3 specific causes of the achievement gap?

There are many causes of Achievement Gap – from racism, lack of acculturation, and socioeconomic status, to sexism and availability of technology.

What is the achievement gap teach for America?

At Teach For America, we believe the term “achievement gap” unfairly places blame on kids. It implies that children are not achieving as they should be, and that it's their fault.

What is an example of the achievement gap?

For example, among non‑low‑income students, graduation rates still are highest for Asian students and lowest for African American students. Non‑low‑income African American students on average have the same graduation rate as low‑income white students.

What is meant by achievement gap?

What Is the Achievement Gap? The achievement gap is the persistent disparity in academic achievement between minority and disadvantaged students and their white counterparts.

What is the difference between the achievement gap and opportunity gap?

The Achievement gap says: “There is a difference here; some students are performing better on tests than others.” The Opportunity gap says: “There is a difference here that goes beyond student test performance.” The achievement recognizes that when students have adequate resources, support, and opportunities to succeed ...

What does it mean to close the opportunity gap?

We define the opportunity gap as the unequal and inequitable distribution of resources and experiences on the basis of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English proficiency, disability, immigration status, community wealth, familial situations, geography, or other factors that contribute to or perpetuate ...

How does the achievement gap affect society?

For individuals, avoidable shortfalls in academic achievement impose heavy and often tragic consequences via lower earnings, poor health, and higher rates of incarceration.”

Why is preschool essential in closing the achievement gap?

In four years that means children with professional parents heard almost five times as many words (50 million) compared to a child in poverty (10 million). Thus, the academically rich environment established by pre- school is designed to close this disparity, which leads to closing the achievement gap.

What is an example of an achievement gap in education?

It is most often used to describe the troubling performance gaps between African-American and Hispanic students, at the lower end of the performance scale, and their non-Hispanic white peers, and the similar academic disparity between students from low-income families and those who are better off.

What is the achievement gap for poor students?

The Achievement Gap is the persistent disparity in academic achievement and/or educational attainment between low-income students of color and their white peers. The gap typically refers to test scores.

Is there still an achievement gap?

Since the 1990s, however, achievement gaps in every grade and subject have been declining. As of 2012, the white-black and white-Hispanic achievement gaps were 30-40% smaller than they were in the 1970s. Nonetheless, the gaps are still very large, ranging from 0.5 to 0.9 standard deviations.

What do you think would happen if educators failed to address the achievement gap in public schools?

Final answer: If educators fail to address the achievement gap in public schools, it can lead to inequitable opportunities for students, decreased academic achievement, and social and economic consequences.

How do teaching strategies help close achievement gaps?

How do you bridge an opportunity gap?

Volunteer your time. One of the most fulfilling ways to close the opportunity gap is the way you use your time. One of the best ways to volunteer is to look for mentorship opportunities that can help students in your community or peers at work.

What can schools do to improve student achievement?

What are two examples of an achievement or opportunity gap in our schools today?

Prudence Carter: "Conventionally, when we talk about the achievement gap, we're talking about test score differences — significant test score differences — by race, by class, by gender. Or, we're talking about differences in college-going rates, high school graduation rates, high school dropout rates.

What is the difference between achievement gap and education debt?

For example, using “achievement gap” to describe underserved populations perpetuates false narratives that assume their inferiority. Instead, “education debt” indicates the systemic inequities and injustices that have persisted for years.

How did you track your students progress toward your goal?

Observe your students and gather evidence.

Try watching them during free play, giving them short check-in assessments or taking photos of them as they complete given activities in the classroom. If possible, set up a calendar to keep track of how often you'll monitor progress toward specific student learning goals.