Improving Achievement and Closing Gaps Between Groups in the Middle Grades

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Improving Achievement and Closing Gaps Between
Groups in the Middle Grades

• Prepared for the Philadelphia Education Fund
• Education Trust, 2004

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What Do We Know About Middle Grades Achievement
Over Time?
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Results Up in Math
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Achievement Up in Math, 13 Year-Olds, NAEP
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends
in Academic Progress (p. 108) Washington, DC US
Department of Education, August 2000
5
Continued Growth into 2003NAEP 8th Grade Math
Results
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. Main NAEP.
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Results in Reading Pretty Flat
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Achievement Flat in Reading 13 Year-Olds, NAEP
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends
in Academic Progress (p. 107) Washington, DC US
Department of Education, August 2000
8
Still
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. Main NAEP.
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What About Results for Different Groups of
Students?
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Gaps Narrow, Then Hold Steady or Widen NAEP Math
Scores, 13 Year-Olds
32
25
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends
in Academic Progress (p. 108) Washington, DC US
Department of Education, August 2000
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Gaps Narrow, Then Mostly Widen NAEP Reading, 13
Year-Olds
29
18
Source US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends
in Academic Progress (p. 107) Washington, DC US
Department of Education, August 2000
12
Growth Grades 5-8?
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Value Added Declining in Middle School Math...
Age 9-13 Growth
Source NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress
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Value Added in Middle School Reading Pretty
Flat...
Age 9-13 Growth
Source NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress
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Hormones?
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Students in Other Countries Gain far More in
Middle and High School
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TIMSS
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Source NCES 1999-081R, Highlights From TIMSS
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Source NCES 1999-081R, Highlights From TIMSS
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PISA
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US 15 Year-Olds Rank Near Middle Of The Pack
Among 32 Participating Countries
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One measure on which we rank high?Inequality!
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Performance Of U.S.15 Year-Olds Highly Variable
Of 27 OECD countries
Source OECD, Knowledge and Skills for Life
First Results From PISA 2000, 2001.
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Where are we now?
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Where Are We Now? 8th Grade Reading All Students
2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
26
By Race, Ethnicity NAEP 8th Grade Reading 2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
27
By Family Income NAEP 8th Grade Reading 2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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Where Are We Now? 8th Grade Math All Students
2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
29
By Race, Ethnicity NAEP 8th Grade Math 2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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By Family Income NAEP 8th Grade Math 2003
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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After they leave you?
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African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Do Math
at Same Levels As White 13 Year Olds
Source NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends Summary Tables
(online)
33
African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Read at
Same Levels as White 13 Year Olds
Source Source NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends
Summary Tables (online)
34
These patterns are reflected, too, in high school
completion, college entry and college graduation
rates.
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ADD IT ALL UP...
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Of Every 100 White Kindergartners
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census. March Current Population Surveys,
1971-2001, in The Condition of Education 2002.
37
Of Every 100 African American Kindergartners
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census. March Current Population Survey,
1971-2001, In The Condition of Education 2002.
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Of Every 100 Latino Kindergartners
(25-to 29-Year-Olds)
Source US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the
Census. March Current Population Surveys,
1971-2001, In The condition of Education 2002.
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Of Every 100 American Indian/Alaskan Native
Kindergartners
(24 Year Olds)
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College Graduates by Age 26
Source Tom Mortenson, Research Seminar on Public
Policy Analysis of Opportunity for Post
Secondary, 1997.
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WHY?
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What We Hear Adults Say

• Theyre poor
• Their parents dont care
• They come to schools without breakfast
• Not enough books
• Not enough parents . . .

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But if theyre right, then why are poor and
minority children performing so high in...
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Some schools...
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Hambrick Middle School,Aldine, TX

• 94 African American and Latino (state 56)
• 85 low-income (state 50)
• Has performed in the top fifth of all Texas
  middle schools in both reading and math in both
  7th and 8th grades over a 3-year period.

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Inman Middle School, Atlanta, GA

• 60 Low Income
• 60 African American and Latino
• (58 African American and 2 Latino)
• Outperformed about 95 of other GA schools on
  average in both 2001 and 2002.
• Over 90 of 6th graders, 7th graders, and 8th
  graders met state standard in reading in 2002.

Source The Education Trust, Dispelling the Myth
Online. Composite measure averaging across
grades and subject areas tested.
47
Johnson County Middle School, Kentucky

• 95 Low Income
• Outperformed 2/3 of other Kentucky middle schools
  in both math and reading for three years in a row
  (2000-2002).
• In 2002, performed better than about 90 of all
  KY middle schools in both math and reading.

Source The Education Trust, Dispelling the Myth
Online. Based on scale score in KY CATS
assessment system.
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PS 161, Brooklyn, NY

• 95 Low Income
• 98 African American and Latino
• (90 African American and 8 Latino)
• Outperformed 95 of other NY state schools in
  both 8th grade math and 8th grade reading for
  three years in a row (2000-2002).
• 100 of 8th graders met state standards in both
  reading and math in 2002.

Source The Education Trust, Dispelling the Myth
Online. Combined elementary, middle school of
1,2222 students.
49
Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
50
Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
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Source Education Trust analysis of data from
National School-Level State Assessment Score
Database (www.schooldata.org).
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Some districts...
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Aldine, TX Raising Achievement for All While
Narrowing Gaps
Source Texas Education Agency-Academic
Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through
2001.
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Aldine, TX Raising Achievement for All While
Narrowing Gaps
Source Texas Education Agency-Academic
Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through
2001.
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And some entire states...
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MA Passing HS Competency Exam
Source Massachusetts Department of Education
Web site.
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MA Narrowing the High School Competency Gap
Source Massachusetts Department of Education
Web site.
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MA Narrowing the High School Competency Gap
Source Massachusetts Department of Education
Web site.
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MA Narrowing the High School Competency Gap
Source Massachusetts Department of Education
Web site.
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8th Grade Math African American Gains Between
1990 and 2000
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
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8th Grade Math Latino Gains Between 1990 and 2000
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
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Delaware Gains in Grade 4 Reading Outpace the
Nation, 1998-2002
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
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Big Differences Among States in the Performance
of the Same Group.Take a look...
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP Math African American
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP MathLatino
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP MathWhite
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP Reading African American
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP ReadingLatino
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP
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2003 Grade 8 NAEP ReadingWhite
Source USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP
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Minority and/or poor students in some states
outperforming white and/or non-poor students in
others.
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8th Grade Writing African Americans in Texas
Perform as Well or Better Than Whites in 7 States
Source NCES, National Assessment of Educational
Progress
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SOURCE U.S. Department of Education, Institute
of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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SOURCE U.S. Department of Education, Institute
of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)
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What Students Say Yes, some blame themselves.
But they also say...

• some teachers dont know
• their subjects
• counselors underestimate our
• potential
• principals dismiss concerns
• expectations wretchedly, boringly low.

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What Do We Know About The Places that are
Improving Results?
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Element 1 They Make No Excuses. Everybody
Takes Responsibility for Student Learning.
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Element 2 They Do Not Leave Anything About
Teaching and Learning to Chance
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Historically, most of the really important
decisions about what students should learn and
what kind of work was good enough left to
individual teachers.
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Result? A System That

• Doesnt expect very much from MOST students and,
• Expects much less from some types of students
  than others.

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Students can do no better than the assignments
they are given...
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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.
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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.
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High Performing Districts

• Have clear and specific goals for what students
  should learn in every grade, including the order
  in which they should learn it
• Provide teachers with common curriculum,
  assignments
• Assess students every 4-8 weeks to measure
  progress
• ACT immediately on the results of those
  assessments.

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Element 3 High Performing Schools, Districts
Insist on Rigor All the Way Up the Line
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Most High School Grads Go On To Postsecondary
Within 2 Years
Source NELS 88, Second (1992) and Third (1994)
Follow up in, USDOE, NCES, Access to
Postsecondary Education for the 1992 High School
Graduates, 1998, Table 2.
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College Freshmen Not Returning for Sophomore Year
Source Tom Mortensen, Postsecondary Opportunity,
No. 89, November 1999
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Transcript Study single biggest predictor of
college success isQUALITY AND INTENSITY OF HIGH
SCHOOL CURRICULUM

• Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S.
  Department of Education.

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But college prep curriculum has benefits far
beyond college.
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Students of all sorts will learn more...
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Low Quartile Students Gain More From College Prep
Courses
Grade 8-grade 12 test score gains based on 8th
grade achievement.
Source USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the
United States Toward the Year 2000, in Issue
Brief Students Who Prepare for College and
Vocation
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They will also fail less often...
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Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure
Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers
Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low
level course, and eighth-grade reading
achievement quartiles
Source SREB, Middle Grades to High School
Mending a Weak Link. Unpublished Draft, 2002.
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And theyll be better prepared for the workplace.
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Leading districts, states making college prep the
default curriculum.
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Element 4 Leading Districts, States Provide
Extra Instruction for Students Who Need It
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When Kids Are Behind, Schools Must Provide More
Instruction and Support

• Kentucky provides extra time for struggling
  students in high-poverty schools
• Maryland offers extra dollars for 7th and 8th
  graders who need more support

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And if you dont live in a smart state?

• Many schools, districts finding ways to double,
  even triple, amount of time spent on literacy,
  math.

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Element 5 They KNOW That Good Teachers Matter
More Than Anything Else
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1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
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1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
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1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
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Most teachers--like most other professionals--can
get more and more effective.
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Accordingly, smart states, districts do two
important things

• STOP drive-by workshops
• invest in intensive, focused
• professional development.

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In the meantime, though, weve got to work
toward a more equitable distribution of teachers.
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Virtually every high poverty school has
some spectacularly wonderful teachers, but...
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Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often
Taught by Misassigned Teachers
Teachers who lack a major or minor in the
field Source National Commission on Teaching and
Americas Future, What Matters Most Teaching for
Americas Future (p.16) 1996.
110
Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority
Students Are More Often Taught by Misassigned
Teachers
Source Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities
The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking
on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and
Science (Rand 1990)
111
Poor and Minority Students Get More
Inexperienced Teachers
Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience.
High and low refer to top and bottom
quartiles. Source National Center for Education
Statistics, Monitoring Quality An Indicators
Report, December 2000.
112
High-Poverty Schools Get More Low-Scoring
Teachers
Teachers scoring in the bottom quartile on on
SAT/ACT. High-poverty schools have 2/3 or more
students eligible for reduced-price
lunch. Source Education Week, Quality Counts
2001, January 2001.
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Differences Even Within Schools
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Devastating Impact
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If we had the courage and creativity to change
these patterns?
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By our estimates from Texas schools, having an
above average teacher for five years running can
completely close the average gap between
low-income students and others. John Kain and
Eric Hanushek
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FINALLY, A FEW WORDS ABOUT HOW WE TALK ABOUT
GAP-CLOSING AND NCLB
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Statement of Purpose
Closing the achievement gap between high- and
low-performing children, especially the
achievement gaps between minority and nonminority
students, and between disadvantaged children and
their more advantaged peers. 20 U.S.C. 6301
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• Unnecessary
• Unfair
• Feds should have left it to the states
• Will label good, even great schools as failures

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Abraham Lincoln Middle School Alachua, Florida

• 31 White
• 59 African American
• 57 Low Income
• An A school under the Florida accountability
  model

Source Florida Department of Education,
http//web.fldoe.org.
121
Achievement Gaps at Lincoln2002-03 Reading
AYP Target 31
Source Florida Department of Education,
http//web.fldoe.org
122
Achievement Gaps at Lincoln 2002-03 Math
AYP Target 38
Source Florida Department of Education,
http//web.fldoe.org
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Alexis I du Pont High SchoolRed Clay, Delaware

• 49 White
• 24 African American
• 21 Latino
• 31 Low Income
• Named One of Americas Best High Schools by
  Newsweek Magazine

Source Delaware Department of Education,
http//www.doe.state.de.us
Newsweek Magazine, June 2, 2003
124
Achievement Gaps at du Pont2003 English/Language
Arts 10th Grade
AYP Target 57
Source Delaware Department of Education,
http//www.doe.state.de.us
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Achievement Gaps at du Pont2003 Math 10th Grade
AYP Target 33
Source Delaware Department of Education,
http//www.doe.state.de.us
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NCLB says simply that these schools need to
improve.

• WOULDNT YOU AGREE?

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The Education Trust

• www.edtrust.org
• Washington, DC 202-293-1217
• Oakland, CA 510-465-6444