Closing Achievement and Opportunity Gaps in California: 12 Steps for Reform at the Local Level.

1

• Closing Achievement and Opportunity Gaps in
  California 12 Steps for Reform at the Local
  Level.

ACADEMIC LITERACY A Call to Action in Practice
and Policy February 6, 2008 Russlynn Ali The
Education Trust-West

2
The Charge Closing the Achievement Gap.Where
to Start?
3
Step 1Define what were talking about. Get
the Data Out and Take Responsibility for Student
Learning.
4
California is now faced with twin achievement
gapsThe gap separating Californias students
from their peers in other states and   The gap
separating low-income students and students of
color from other Californian students.  We can
not close the first gap without attending to the
second.
5
A snap shot Middle Schools.Almost every other
state does significantly better than California
in 8th grade reading.
Source NCES, National Assessment of Educational
Progress, 2005
6
Californias 8th grade Latino Students far behind
their Latino peers in other states 2007 NAEP
READING
Source National Center for Education Statistics,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
7
African-American 8th Grade Students in California
behind their African-American students elsewhere
2007 NAEP READING
Source National Center for Education Statistics,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
8
Low-Income 8th Grade Students in California Trail
Far Behind Their Low-Income Peers Across the
Nation 2007 NAEP READING
Source National Center for Education Statistics,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
9
And Lets Be Clear. Its Not Our Demographics.
10
Californias White 8th Grade Students Trail
Behind Their Peers in Most States
Source National Center for Education Statistics,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
11
Californias Non Low-Income 8th Grade Students
Also Lag Behind Many States
Source National Center for Education Statistics,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
12
On Our Own Assessments?
13
CALIFORNIAEnglish Language Arts CST 2007 All
Students
Source California Department of Education, 2007
14
But underneath those averages. . .
15
CALIFORNIAELA 4th Grade, By EthnicityCST 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
16
CALIFORNIAELA 4th Grade, By Economic StatusCST
2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
17
CA African American and Latino 7th graders read
at about the level of White 3rd graders
CAT/6 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
18
CALIFORNIAAlgebra I (Grades 8-11), By
EthnicityCST 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
19
CAHSEE First Time Test-Takers (10th
graders)California ELA Pass Rates 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
20
CALIFORNIAELA 8th Grade, By EthnicityCST 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
21
CALIFORNIAELA 8th Grade, By Economic StatusCST
2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
22
CALIFORNIAELA 11th Grade, By EthnicityCST 2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
23
CALIFORNIAELA 11th Grade, By Economic StatusCST
2007
Source California Department of Education, 2007
24
Little Progress Over TimeENGLISH LANGUAGE
ARTSAll Students Grades 2 - 11, 2000-2006
Percent proficient or above
NOTE 2000-02 scores are for Stanford 9 2003-06
CST
Source California Department of Education, 2006
25
Isnt it about poverty or race?
26
Non-Poor Minority Students have the Same ELA
Proficiency Rates as Poor White Students 2007
CST-ELA (All Students Grades 2 - 11)
Source 2007 CST Results News Release, State
Superintendent Jack OConnell
27
Non-Poor Minority Students have Lower Math
Proficiency Rates than Poor White Students 2007
CST-Math (All Students Grades 2 - 11)
Source 2007 CST Results News Release, State
Superintendent Jack OConnell
28
Its both race and poverty. We can argue
forever. The truth is though, opportunity gaps
cause achievement gaps. And what schools do
matters, and it matters a lot.Schools can
overcome the damage that racism and poverty do.
29
These gaps begin before children arrive at the
schoolhouse door.

• But, rather than organizing our educational
  system to ameliorate this problem, we organize it
  to exacerbate the problem.

30
And the gaps dont end when our students leave
our schools, either.
31
National Assessment of Adult Literacy
Source NAAL, 2003, see National Center for
Education Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
32
NAAL EXPLANATION SLIDE

• NCES Assessment Given in 1992 and 2003 to people
  16 and older
• 19,714 participated in 2003
• Nationally representative sample
• Three types of literacy assessed prose,
  document, quantitative (see next slides)
• Measures the ability of adults to perform
  literacy tasks similar to those they encounter in
  daily life.

33
Below Basic Literacy Levelfrom non-literate to
being able to do the tasks below

• Prose search a short simple text to find out
  what a patient is allowed to drink before a
  medical procedure
• Document signing a form
• Quantitative Adding the amounts on a bank
  deposit slip

Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
34
Basic Literacy Level

• Prose finding in a pamphlet for jurors an
  explanation of how people were selected for the
  jury pool
• Document using a TV guide to determine what
  programs are on at a specific time
• Quantitative comparing ticket prices for two
  events

Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
35
Intermediate Literacy Level

• Prose using reference materials to find out
  which foods contain specific vitamins
• Document locating a specific place on a map
• Quantitative calculating the total cost of
  ordering specific supplies from a catalog

Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
36
Proficient Literacy Level

• Prose comparing viewpoints in two editorials
• Document interpreting a table about blood
  pressure, age, and physical activity
• Quantitative computing and comparing the cost
  per ounce of food items

Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
37
2003 NAAL Percent of Adults Basic and Above
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
38
2003 NAAL Percent of Adults Basic and Above,
African-American
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
39
2003 NAAL Percent of Adults Basic and Above,
Latino
The Latino population has increased by 50
percent from 8 percent of the total population
in 1992 to 12 percent in 2003.
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
40
2003 NAAL Percent of Adults Basic and Above, White
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
41
2003 NAAL Percent of College Graduates Proficient
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
42
2003 NAAL Percent of College Graduates
Intermediate
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
43
2003 NAAL Prose Literacy, All
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
44
2003 NAAL Prose Literacyby Race/Ethnicity
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
45
2003 NAAL Prose Literacyby Educational Attainment
Some college refers to adults who attended a
post-secondary institution but did not obtain a
degree
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
46
2003 NAAL Document Literacy All
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
47
2003 NAAL Document Literacyby Race/Ethnicity
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
48
2003 NAAL Document Literacyby Educational
Attainment
Some college refers to adults who attended a
post-secondary institution but did not obtain a
degree
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
49
2003 NAAL Quantitative Literacy, All
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
50
2003 NAAL Quantitative Literacyby Race/Ethnicity
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
51
2003 NAAL Quantitative Literacyby Educational
Attainment
Some college refers to adults who attended a
post-secondary institution but did not obtain a
degree
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005. Available at
http//nces.ed.gov/NAAL
52
And What Are the Literacy Levels for Our College
Students?
53
Far Too Few College Students Have
Proficient-Level Literacy Skills
Students in their last year of a degree
program.
Source American Institutes for Research, The
Literacy of Americans College Students, January
2006.
54
Literacy Gaps Among Students in 4-Year
Institutions
Students in their last year of a degree
program.
Source American Institutes for Research, The
Literacy of Americans College Students, January
2006.
55
Literacy Gaps Among Students in 2-Year
Institutions
Students in their last year of a degree
program.
Source American Institutes for Research, The
Literacy of Americans College Students, January
2006.
56
Step 2We need to know more. We need better
data. We dont know, for example, which reading
programs work best. While the state is
building a comprehensive student data system,
you hold the key District level individual
student and teacher stable, unique, identifiers.
57
Example Confused and inaccurate drop-out rates.
58
Coming Soon New EdTrustWest Tool Shows
Scandalous Graduation Rates.Different Numbers.
Different Truths?
From soon to be released EdTrust West Grad Rate
Web Tool on www.edtrustwest.org.
59
For example, need to understand what happens
after high school.
60
Graduation Rates at CSU SchoolsLatino vs. White
Source CollegeResults.org (www.edtrust.org)
61
Graduation Rates at CSU SchoolsAfrican-American
vs. White
Source CollegeResults.org (www.edtrust.org)
62
Graduation Rates at UC SchoolsAfrican American
vs. White
Source CollegeResults.org (www.edtrust.org)
63
Graduation Rates at UC SchoolsLatino vs. White
64
Step 3Hold the Line on the End Goal College
and Work Readiness for All.
65
STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE CLEAR THEIR GOAL IS
COLLEGE
Source U.S. DOE, NCES, Getting Ready to Pay for
College What Students and Their Parents Know
About the Cost of College Tuition and What They
Are Doing to Find Out, September 2003.
66
CA Parents who expect their kids to attain at
least a four year degree
Source New American Media Poll, Great
Expectations, Survey of Latino, Asian, and
African American Parents on Education. Aug. 23,
2006 Available at http//news.newamericamedia.org
/news/
67
Thats Good, Because Education Pays.
California 2005 Median Income, Adults Over Age
25
Source http//www.cpec.ca.gov/OnLineData/MedianI
ncomeGraph.asp
68
Even in Jobs We Dont Expect

• Requirements for Tool and Die Makers
• Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or
  postsecondary training
• Algebra, geometry, trigonometry and statistics
• Average earnings 40,000 per year.

• Requirements for
• Sheet Metal Workers
• Four or five years
• of apprenticeship
• Algebra, geometry,
• trigonometry and
• technical reading

• Requirements for
• Auto Technicians
• A solid grounding
• in physics is
• necessary to
• understand force,
• hydraulics, friction
• and electrical
• circuits.

69
Even in Jobs We Dont Expect

• Plumbing-Heating-Air Conditioning
• Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or
  post-secondary training
• Algebra, plane geometry, trigonometry and
  statistics
• Physics, chemistry, biology, engineering
  economics.

ALL of these jobs require a strong foundation
of reading, writing and speaking the English
language in order to comprehend instructions and
technical manuals

• Construction
• and Engineering
• Four or five years of apprenticeship and/or
  post-secondary training
• Algebra, plane geometry
• Critical thinking, problem solving, reading and
  writing

Sources Plumbing  Shapiro, D., and Nichols, J.
Constructing Your Future Consider a Career in
Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning
(HVAC) PHCC Auxiliary 2005 downloaded March 13,
3006 http//www.phccweb.org/PDFs/PHCC20pg.pdf,
Construction California Apprenticeship Council
Division of Apprenticeship Standards 2001 Annual
Legislative Report Downloaded March 15, 2006
http//www.dir.ca.gov/das/DASAnnualReport2001/LegR
ep2001.pdfsearch'architecture2C20construction
2C20engineering2028ace20pathway2920course20
outline'  
70
Few Graduate College Ready. California Class
of 2005.
Includes 9th graders who have completed the A-G
course sequence with a C or better in each
class four years later.
Source Education Trust-West Analysis of CDE
data, using the Manhattan Institute methodology
71
Even though most students want to go to college,
the truth is, many low income students and
students of color arent getting the classes in
the first place.
72
Transcript AnalysisA CA Unified School
Districts Audit Findings
73
Curious about your own school or system?

• Pull a random sample of senior transcripts, white
  out the names, and take a look.
• Then ask yourself If we had to defend these
  before the editorial board of our local
  newspaper, could we????

74
What are students actually getting?Ed Trust
Transcript Study Our Current Favorites

• Algebra Art
• Pre-Spanish
• Future Studies
• Exploring
• Principles of PE
• Teen Living
• Life Management
• Food Fundamentals
• Winter Activities.

Source Education Trust Analysis of High School
Transcripts 2005
75
A-G as the Default Curriculum Is A Necessary
Step.End of Course Exams Helpful. At least 11
states are using EOCs for consistency and rigor.
But still not enough.
76
Its About Curriculum andInstructionInstruct
ionInstruction!!!
77
Whats typical?Researchers observed 2,500
classrooms in 400 school districts throughout the
United States.

• And what did they find in these 1st, 3rd and 5th
  grade c
• classrooms?

Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
78
A typical elementary school child has a 1-in-14
chance of learning in a rich, supportive
environment.
Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
79
Students who consistently end up in the
lowest-quality classrooms have 2 common traits
1. They enter school with already lower
achievement.
2. Theyre poor.
Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
80
5th graders spend 91 of their time listening to
the teacher or working alone, usually on low
level worksheets.
Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
81
And they only spend 7 of their time in
small-group instruction.
Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
82
The average 5th grader receives 5 times more
instruction in basic skills than in
problem-solving or reasoning.

• And the average 1st and 3rd grader receives 10
  times more basic skills instruction.

Source Opportunities to Learn in Americas
Elementary Classrooms, Robert C. Pianta,
University of Virginia 2007
83
Step 4Setting goals around college and work
readiness hugely important. Next, must making
this the center point of accountability.
84
Current approach to federal and state
accountability in California not working.
Doesnt mean much to the adults doesnt mean
much to the students.
85
API Better than it was but still not good
enough if were serious about gap
closing.Davidson Middle Successful School
Under API.8th Grade English Language Arts
AYP Target 24.4
Source California Department of Education, 2006
86
But Gaps Grew. Target for Latino Students
under old API 2 points. With changes, this
year target 9 points. At this rate, Latino
kids wouldnt be proficient at Davidson until
2038.
87
A Growth Model. Good Option IF

• A Growth Trajectory Promises Proficiency Within A
  Specified Time Period.
• Student Targets Must Get Them to Proficiency Over
  the Remaining Time in School. Else the Clock
  Runs Out for Them.

88
Bottom Line Californias Accountability System
Must Be Strengthened to Match States Gap Closing
Goals.Else, its rhetoric. Plain and simple.
89
Step 5 Measuring College and Work Ready.
90
A Good Model at Our Door Step CSUs EAP.
91
Readiness for College English11th graders, by
Ethnicity
Source Unpublished Data from Early Assessment
Program, California State University, June 2007
92
Readiness for College Mathematics 11th graders in
Algebra II, by Ethnicity
Source Unpublished Data from Early Assessment
Program, California State University, June 2007
93
EAP revealing hugely important information.

• Expectations are clear to everyone. Parents,
  students, teacher and administrators.
• Sends strong (and only) signals about what the
  senior year should look like.
• Next step Alignment. CSU course modules can be
  adopted in full or used as a guide/rubric.

94
The UC and CCC systems should move in the EAP
direction.Evidence High Failures on Subject A
Exams and on Basic Skills Tests.High drop out
rates.
95
Step 6 Access to Rigor, Not Just Courses with
Higher-Level Names.What does equity in Rigor
look like?
96
Elementary School Example

• Kindergarten Assignment
• Based on our reading, draw a picture of an ocean
  animal that you would like to be.

97
Elementary School Example

• Kindergarten Assignment
• Based on our reading, choose an ocean animal you
  would like to be. Explain what you would look
  like, what you would eat, and what you would do.
  Why do you want to be this animal?

98
Grade 7 Standards Based, Rigorous Writing
Assignment
Essay on Anne Frank Your essay will consist of
an opening paragraph which introduced the title,
author and general background of the novel.
Your thesis will state specifically what Anne's
overall personality is, and what general
psychological and intellectual changes she
exhibits over the course of the book You might
organize your essay by grouping psychological and
intellectual changes OR you might choose 3 or 4
characteristics (like friendliness, patience,
optimism, self doubt) and show how she changes in
this area.
Source Unnamed school district in California,
2002-03 school year.
99
Grade 7 Low-Level Writing Assignment

• My Best Friend
• A chore I hate
• A car I want
• My heartthrob

Source Unnamed school district in California,
2002-03 school year.
100
The Odyssey Ninth Grade High-level Assignment
Comparison/Contrast Paper Between Homer's Epic
Poem, The Odyssey and the Movie "0 Brother Where
Art Thou" By nature, humans compare and contrast
all elements of their world. Why? Because in the
juxtaposition of two different things, one can
learn more about each individual thing as well as
something about the universal nature of the
things being compared. For this 2-3 page paper
you will want to ask yourself the following
questions what larger ideas do you see working
in The Odyssey and "0 Brother Where Art Thou"? Do
both works treat these issues in the same way?
What do the similarities and differences between
the works reveal about the underlying nature of
the larger idea?
101
The Odyssey Ninth Grade Low-level Assignment
Divide class into 3 groups Group 1 designs a
brochure titled "Odyssey Cruises". The students
listen to the story and write down all the places
Odysseus visited in his adventures, and list the
cost to travel from place to place. Group 2
draws pictures of each adventure. Group 3 takes
the names of the characters in the story and gods
and goddesses in the story and designs a
crossword puzzle.
102
Grade 10 Writing Assignment
A frequent theme in literature is the conflict
between the individual and society. From
literature you have read, select a character who
struggled with society. In a well-developed
essay, identify the character and explain why
this characters conflict with society is
important.
103
Grade 10 Writing Assignment
Write a composition of at least 4 paragraphs on
Martin Luther Kings most important contribution
to this society. Illustrate your work with a
neat cover page. Neatness counts.
104
Using the SAME TEXT BOOKCollege-prep assignments
from

• School A, District A, California
• 1467 students enrolled in 2005
• 82 White
• 6 Asian
• 4 Latino
• 2 Black
• 2 Low-Income

• School B, District B, California
• 2001 students enrolled in 2005
• 45 White
• 4 Asian
• 48 Latino
• 1 Black
• 27 Low-Income

105
Same Text Book High-Level college-prep
assignment.

• Describe the fundamental problems in the economy
  that helped cause the Great Depression. Consider
  agriculture, consumer spending and debt,
  distribution of wealth, the stock market
• Describe how people struggled to survive during
  the Depression
• How did Hoovers belief in rugged individualism
  shape his policies during the depression?

106
Same Text BookLow Level college-prep assignment.

• Role play (Meet the Press) interview key people
  of the era
• Draw a political cartoon highlighting a major
  event of the time
• Share excerpts from noted literary authors-Lewis,
  Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Hughes
• Listen to jazz artists of the 20s
• Construct a collage depicting new inventions

107
Must do the same for CTE courses.Are
assignments rigorous? Or code language for
old-style vocational education tracking? Who
gets access to the rigorous academies, and who
gets courses that lead to dead end jobs?
108
Result? Students believe and are told theyre
college ready. Later, theyll find out theyre
not.
109
Example One CMO
110
100 of students within a particular CMO
graduated college-ready in 2006.

• Yet only 8 of students in those schools were
  proficient in geometry.
• And only 5 were proficient in Algebra II.

Source www.cde.ca.gov, California Department of
Education 2006
111
Step 7 Close the Instruction-Gap
112

• A. Provide Anchor Assignments. At every grade
  level.For each core discipline.And for good,
  rigorous CTE courses.
• B. Create A Repository for Good Course Redesign
  Strategies. (Technology enables good pedagogy
  with large s of students.)
• C. Create a Repository for Model Course Syllabi.
  (e.g., ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS A CLOSE LOOK AT
  SELECTED HIGH SCHOOL COURSES THAT PREPARE ALL
  STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, ACT and the Education
  Trust, 2005)

Source ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS A CLOSE LOOK AT
SELECTED HIGH SCHOOL COURSES THAT PREPARE ALL
STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, ACT and the Education
Trust, 2005
113
In a typical CA high school, the most common
intervention for a student who fails a required
course is to repeat the course until passing.
D. Provide Adequate Interventions
Interventions such as support classes and shadow
classes are uncommon.
114
Transcript AnalysisA Typical CA Unified School
Districts Audit Findings

• MISPLACED INTERVENTIONS/
• OBVIOUS CHOKEPOINTS
• Repeated failures in math, especially Algebra and
  Geometry
• Students struggling in Algebra rarely went any
  further in math, most dropped to a lower course
  for their second math credit
• Math Intervention of choice repeat the course,
  (finding up to 6 semesters of failing Algebra!),
  or drop to less challenging course

115
Step 8 Provide More Instructional Time to
Struggling Students
116
The Full Year Calendar
Most Administrators Dont Realize How Little Time
They Have For Teaching And Learning.Analysis of
One California Urban Middle School Calendar
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
117
Less Summer Vacation
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
118
Less Weekends, Holidays, Summer Vacation
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
119
Less Professional Development Days Early
Dismissal/Parent Conferences
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
120
Less Class Picnic, Class Trip, Thanksgiving
Feast, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Awards,
Assembles, Concerts
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
121
Less State and District Testing and Other
Non-Instructional Time
Source Ed Trust West analysis of the master
schedule of an unnamed school in CA
122

• BOTTOM LINE?
• Teachers are left with about
• 24 School Days
• OR
• 18 Eight Hour Days Per Subject Per Year

123
Be Careful Instructional Time Per Course
124
Step 9 Make Multiple Pathways Mean
Something. And Make the Rigor Equal.
125
Although career-technical courses exist, career
pathways are not clearly defined.Non
college-bound students most often dabble in
various electives including vocational classes,
graduating neither ready for college nor career.
In a typical CA High School
126
Transcript AnalysisX Unified Audit Findings

• Additional Findings PATTERNS
• Students getting by with academic minimums and
  no clear pathways.
• Only 2 clear tracks college track and
  non-college track.
• Students who start HS in non-college track,
  rarely move up into college-track.
• The only real movement between tracks is to drop
  down from college coursework to less rigorous
  after struggling.

127
Step 10Hold the line on objective
assessments.An example CAHSEE
128
CAHSEE Passage Rates California Class of
2006as of July 2006
Source Wise, L., et al., Independent Evaluation
of the CAHSEE, 2006 HumRRO
129
Has the CAHSEE requirement changed anything?

• What principals say

Source Wise, L., et al., Independent Evaluation
of the CAHSEE, HumRRO October, 31, 2006.
130
Has the CAHSEE requirement changed anything?

• What students say
• 89 of 11th graders who took the CAHSEE ELA in
  2006 reported working harder, either by taking
  additional courses (15)
• Working harder in current courses (50)
• Getting outside help (14)
• Repeating courses (10)

Source Wise, L., et al., Independent Evaluation
of the CAHSEE, HumRRO October, 31, 2006.
131
What about alternative assessments?
132
If we dont hold the line on standards, we run
the risk of creating devastating unintended
consequences Alternatives to the High School
Exit Exam? Example New Jersey
Source EdTrust-West analysis of NJ Department of
Education and schoolmatters.com data, 2005
133
In New Jerseys large urban high schools
Source EdTrust-West analysis of NJ Department of
Education and schoolmatters.com data, 2005
134
Step 11 We cant be serious about closing the
Achievement Gap while allowing the Teacher
Quality Gap to persist, and grow.
135
Monitor the Distribution of Teacher Talent in
More Revealing Ways
136
LOW ACHIEVING STUDENTS IN TN GAIN MORE WITH
EFFECTIVE TEACHERS One Year Growth
Sanders and Rivers, Cumulative and Residual
Effects of Teachers on Future Academic
Achievement, 1998.
137
Students Who Start 2nd Grade at About the Same
Level of Math Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
138
Finish 5th Grade Math at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
139
Low-Achieving Schools Get More Underprepared and
Novice Teachers
Source Wechsler, M., Tiffany-Morales, J.,
Campbell, A., Humphrey, D., Kim, D., Shields, P.,
Wang, H. (2007). The Status of the Teaching
Profession 2007. Santa Cruz, CA The Center for
the Future of Teaching and Learning.
140
Most Intern Teachers Work in Our Lowest
Performing Schools

• 54 of all interns are teaching in schools with
  the lowest API scores, compared to only 8 of
  interns in schools with the highest API scores.

Minority Quartiles
Source Wechsler, M., Tiffany-Morales, J.,
Campbell, A., Humphrey, D., Kim, D., Shields, P.,
Wang, H. (2007). The Status of the Teaching
Profession 2007. Santa Cruz, CA The Center for
the Future of Teaching and Learning.
141
Todays 6th graders who attended a low-achieving
school have had

• A 41 chance of being taught by one underprepared
  teacher
• AND
• A 24 chance of having more than one.

Source Guha, R., Campbell, A., Humphrey, D.,
Shields, P., Tiffany-Morales, J., Wechsler, M.
(2006). Californias teaching force 2006 Key
issues and trends. Santa Cruz, CA The Center for
the Future of Teaching and Learning.
142
While their peers in the highest-achieving
schools have had

• A 20 chance of being taught by one underprepared
  teacher
• AND
• A 2 chance of having more than one.

Source Guha, R., Campbell, A., Humphrey, D.,
Shields, P., Tiffany-Morales, J., Wechsler, M.
(2006). Californias teaching force 2006 Key
issues and trends. Santa Cruz, CA The Center for
the Future of Teaching and Learning.
143
The Teacher Quality Gap is about money too.
Were spending far less on teaching the kids who
need good teachers the most.
144
A Tale of Two Schools

• Locke High School
• Los Angeles Unified
• 99 Latino African American
• 66 of students receive free or reduced price
  lunch
• Academic Performance Index 440

• Granada Hills High School
• Los Angeles Unified
• 32 Latino African American
• 27 of students receive free or reduced price
  lunch
• Academic Performance Index 773

Source CA Department of Education, 2003-04 data
145

• The average teacher at Locke High School gets
  paid an estimated 8,034 less every year than his
  counterpart at Granada Hills High School.
• If Locke spent as much as Granada Hills on
  teacher salaries for its 119 teachers, the school
  budget would increase by nearly a million dollars
  (956,056) every year.

146
If we had the courage and creativity to change
these patterns?
147
The Rivkin, Hanushek, and Kain estimates of
teacher performance suggest that having five
years of good teachers in a row could overcome
the average seventh-grade mathematics
achievement gap .
1.0 standard deviation above average, or at
the 85th quality percentile
SOURCE Eric A. Hanushek and Steven G. Rivkin,
How to Improve the Supply of High-Quality
Teachers, In Brookings Papers on Education
Policy 2004, Diane Ravitch, ed., Brrookings
Institution Press, 2004. Estimates based on
research using data from Texas described in
Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement,
Working Paper Number 6691, National Bureau of
Economic Research, revised July 2002.
148
Step 12Help Make Sense of the Adequacy vs.
Efficiency Debate. Would More Money Help?Of
course, but more money must be spent more wisely.
Advocates for more money must also be advocates
for reform.
149
Business as usual gets us little relationship
between dollars spent and outcomes. District API
and Spending per Pupil 2004-2005
Source Imazeki, Jennifer (2007), Assessing the
Costs of K-12 Education in Californias Public
Schools, Paper in Getting Down to Facts Research
Project, www.irepp.net
150
Some districts that out-perform spend lessNAEP
2005 Grade 8 Math -Overall Scale Scores
7,132
8,311
11,920
8,283
7,284
11,312
12,562
6,923
7,799
10,199
11,847
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/n
de and Standard and Poors www.schoolmatters.com
151
Closing Californias Achievement Gaps is the Most
Important Issue Facing Our Public Schools. The
real question moving forward is how to develop
the civic and political heft to do what it takes.
We have the know how. But do we have the will?
152
Register Now.
COME LEARN HOW TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP!
The Education Trust West 510-465-6444 www.edtru
stwest.org