Closing Achievement Gaps in California

1
Closing Achievement Gaps in California

• Joseph F. Johnson, Jr., Ph.D.
• Executive Director
• National Center for Urban School Transformation
• California Achievement Gap Conference
• November 14, 2007

2
National Center for Urban School Transformation
Dedicated to identifying, studying, and promoting
the best practices of Americas highest achieving
urban schools in a manner that supports urban
districts in transforming teaching and learning
http//www.ncust.org
3rd Annual Symposium May 8th 9th, 2008 in San
Diego
3
Evidence of Achievement Gaps in California

• State assessment results
• NAEP results
• High school graduation rates
• SAT/ACT performances
• College remediation rates
• College graduation rates
• Special program placement rates

4
Wasnt standards-based reform supposed to fix all
of this?
5
The Logic of Standards-Based Reform

• Students from different groups are not being
  taught the same high standards.
• So, create high standards that apply to all
  groups of students.
• Align assessments and accountability systems to
  those standards.
• Provide appropriate professional development.
• And, achievement will rise and gaps will
  diminish.

6
Perhaps, standards-based reform is working in
some places.
7
Reading Achievement Levels for Diverse
Populations Vary Across States

• 2007 NAEP reading results
• 4th grade Latino students in 48 states have
  higher NAEP reading scores than their
  counterparts in CA.
• 8th grade Black students in MA read 1.5 grade
  levels higher than their counterparts in CA.
• 8th grade students meeting low-income criteria in
  49 states have higher NAEP reading scores than
  their counterparts in CA.

8
Math Achievement Levels for Diverse Populations
Vary Across States

• 2007 NAEP math results
• In math, 4th grade Black students in NJ, MA, TX,
  and VA perform more than a full grade level
  higher their counterparts in CA.
• In math, 8th grade Latino students in TX, OH, and
  VA perform 2 grade levels higher than their
  counterparts in CA.
• In math, 4th grade students meeting low-income
  criteria in 47 states perform higher than their
  counterparts in CA.

9
To those who say the achievement gap will never
be closed, how is it that

• Latino 4th grade students in FL scored equal to
  or higher than White students in WV, KY, and AL
  on the NAEP mathematics test?
• Black 8th grade students in TX, OR, and CO scored
  higher than the overall average for 8th grade CA
  students on the NAEP mathematics test?
• Black 4th grade students in CT, MA, IA scored
  higher on the NAEP writing test than White
  students in AZ, WV, UT, ND, MS, LA?

10
Some Schools in California Are Establishing
Systems to Ensure Better Results

• Edison Elementary in Long Beach serves a
  population that is 9 Black, 87 Latino, 100
  low-income, and 51 English learners, yet has API
  scores of
• 810 for Latino students
• 802 for English learners
• 808 for low-income students

11
API Gap Closing at Edison Elementary
12
Some Schools in California Are Establishing
Systems to Ensure Better Results

• Kelso Elementary in Inglewood serves a population
  that is 40 Black, 58 Latino, 83 low-income,
  and 33 English learners, yet has API scores of
• 823 for Black students
• 792 for Latino students
• 770 for English learners
• 802 for low-income students

13
API Gap Closing at Kelso Elementary
14
Some Schools in California Are Establishing
Systems to Ensure Better Results

• Leroy Doig Middle School in Garden Grove serves a
  population that is 84 Latino, 80 low-income,
  and 52 English learners, yet has API scores of
• 707 for Latino students
• 722 for English learners
• 725 for low-income students

15
API Gap Closing at Doig Middle
16
Some Schools in California Are Establishing
Systems to Ensure Better Results

• Imperial High School in Imperial, CA serves a
  population that is 74 Latino, 29 low-income,
  and 12 English learners, yet has API scores of
• 770 for Latino students
• 715 for English learners
• 744 for low-income students
• 90 of Latino students passed CAHSEE math
• 89 of Latino students passed CAHSEE ELA

17
API Gap Closing at Imperial High
18
CAHSEE Gap Closing at Imperial High
19
Big Questions

• What can California educators do to establish
  systems that ensure diverse student populations
  achieve results that equal or exceed results
  achieved in gap-closing states?
• What can California educators do to establish
  systems that ensure diverse student populations
  achieve results that equal or exceed results
  achieved in the states best gap-closing schools?

20
Fully Implement Standards-Based Reform With Great
Fidelity
21
We Have Truly Implemented Standards-Based Reform
When There is/Are

• Common understanding of standards
• Understanding of which standards are most
  critical
• Evidence that diverse students can achieve
  standards
• Opportunities and tools to teach critical
  standards early
• Opportunities to build teacher understanding of
  critical content
• Opportunities to build skills at teaching diverse
  students
• Tools that provide actionable feedback
• Tools that provide additional, effective support
• Team effort to make a powerful difference in
  student lives
• Leaders with the capacity to support
  educator/student growth
• Student/parent understanding of key standards
• Student/parent belief that students can learn the
  standards
• Student/parent belief that educators care about
  them

22
Common Understanding of Standards

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  teachers in a less affluent, more diverse school
  act upon a less rigorous, less complete
  understanding of a standard than found in a more
  affluent, less diverse school.
• At gap-closing schools, teachers have
  well-informed, in-depth conversations about key
  standards and the level of achievement expected
  by those standards. Their understanding of each
  standard reflects a level of expectation equal to
  that found in the most affluent schools.

23
Understanding of Which Standards Are Most Critical

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  teachers are engaged in drive-by teaching
  because they feel they have to cover every
  standard.
• At gap-closing schools, educators make wise
  decisions about which standards should be the
  focus of efforts. They help students master
  critical standards with substantial depth of
  understanding.

24
Evidence that Diverse Groups of Students Can
Achieve Standards

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  we have not provided educators compelling
  evidence that the diverse students they teach can
  achieve critical standards.
• At gap-closing schools, leaders mine multiple
  data sources and continuously share evidence from
  their school and similar schools that proves
  diverse students can achieve critical standards.

25
Opportunities and Tools to Teach Critical
Standards Early

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  everyone starts learning critical standards at
  the same time.
• At gap-closing schools, educators consider
  strategies for introducing critical standards
  early. They maximize the benefits of early
  childhood education and vertical coordination.

26
Opportunities to Build Teacher Understanding of
Critical Content

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  there are not plentiful, no-shame opportunities
  for teachers to build their understanding of the
  content related to key standards.
• At gap-closing schools, educators structure
  opportunities to help each other deepen their
  understanding of academic content. Educators are
  comfortable acknowledging their content-related
  strengths and weaknesses. They share their
  strengths and they systematically address their
  areas of weakness.

27
Opportunities to Build Skill at Teaching
Standards to Diverse Students

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  teachers present standards to diverse populations
  of students using uniform methods that are
  insensitive to student learning differences.
• At gap-closing schools, educators structure
  opportunities to help each other deepen their
  skill at adapting instruction in ways that build
  upon the backgrounds, interests, prior knowledge,
  and culture of the students they serve.

28
Tools that Provide Actionable Feedback

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  teachers dont have accurate ways of knowing
  (immediately, short-term, and long-term) if
  students are learning/have learned critical
  standards.
• At gap-closing schools, during each lesson,
  educators implement strategies for determining if
  students are learning the standards being taught.
  As well, educators receive useful feedback from
  short- and long-term assessments. This feedback
  helps shape all subsequent instruction.

29
Tools that Provide Additional, Effective Support
When Needed

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  students dont have easy, timely access to
  effective support when regular programs prove
  insufficient.
• At gap-closing schools, students have access to
  timely, effective assistance that is laser
  focused upon individual learning needs and
  designed to bridge learning gaps quickly.

30
Team Effort to Make a Powerful Difference in
Students Lives

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  educators do not perceive that they are part of a
  united effort to make a powerful, positive
  difference in students lives.
• At gap-closing schools, focus is not merely on
  API, AYP, test scores, and achievement
  indicators. Educators understand that they are
  working together to make a fundamental difference
  in the quality of students lives.

31
Leaders with the Capacity to Support and Nurture
Educator/Student Growth

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  leaders do not have the knowledge and skill to
  support educators and students as they work
  toward teaching and learning standards.
• At gap-closing schools, leaders have support
  systems that help them learn to lead. They
  understand that their primary workplace is in
  classrooms! They practice skills that help
  educators and students feel they have high
  quality support.

32
Student/Parent Understanding of Key Standards

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  we have not helped students and parents believe
  that students can achieve standards with
  reasonable effort.
• At gap-closing schools, educators implement
  systems that help students and parents find new
  hope. They help parents and students perceive
  that success is within their reach.

33
Student/Parent Understanding of Key Standards

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  we have not helped students and parents believe
  that students can achieve standards with
  reasonable effort.
• At gap-closing schools, educators implement
  systems that help students and parents find new
  hope. They help parents and students perceive
  that success is within their reach.

34
Student/Parent Belief that Educators Care about
Them

• We have not implemented standards-based reform if
  students and parents do not have a clear
  understanding that educators care deeply and
  sincerely about them.
• At gap-closing schools, educators find multiple
  ways to build relationships with students and
  parents. They convince students and parents that
  educators care about their present and future
  success.

35
California Has Great Potential to Close
Achievement Gaps

• We can learn from the successes of our
  gap-closing schools.
• We can learn from the best practices of other
  states.
• Nothing changes unless teaching and learning in
  classrooms changes.
• Our diversity is a strength that can help us
  achieve equity and excellence.

36
Equity and Excellence Are Not Dichotomous Goals

• Equity without excellence is mediocrity.
• Excellence without equity is an oxymoron.