Illinois State Board of Education, Thirtieth Annual Superintendents Conference

1
The Achievement Gap Initiative At Harvard
University
Illinois State Board of Education, Thirtieth
Annual Superintendents Conference
Understanding the Achievement Gap Challenge
-- Some Reasons for Cautious Optimism September
7, 2007 Ronald F. Ferguson, PhD Faculty Co-Chair
Director the Achievement Gap Initiative at
Harvard University, and Founder, the Tripod
Project for School Improvement
To Contact the AGI, Email AGI_at_Harvard.edu ,
617-496-9154
Web Addresses www.AGI.Harvard.edu and
www.tripodproject.org
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• There is an urgent need for
• Youth cultures that more consistently support
  behaviors consistent with academic learning and
  the pursuit of excellence
• Parenting that nurtures intellectual growth and
  balances warmth and responsiveness with structure
  and demandingness
• Teaching that engages and challenges students
• Community supports to supplement parents and
  teachers
• Leadership to organize, guide and motivate
  others
• in a 21st Century Social Movement for
  Excellence and Equity.
• This presentation urgency AND possibility.

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US Population Shares in 2000
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US Population SharesProjected for 2050
5
Any fool can count the seeds in an apple, but
only God can count the apples in a seed. Rev.
Robert Schuller The bounty of the harvest depends
upon the effectiveness of cultivation, and the
effectiveness of cultivation depends, over time,
on the intensity of the search for effective
methods and the dedication of effort to help
children reach their full potential.
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Lots of bad news ? Urgency
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Percentage of Children in Two-Parent Families, by
Race for Blacks and Whites, 1960-2000.
Source Decennial Census IPUMS, 1960-200, as
tabulated in Derrick Neal, 2005, Why Has
Black-White Skill Convergence Stopped. NBER
working paper.
8

• Percentages of Men ages 26-30 in 2000 who
• worked in the reference week
• worked in the last calendar year
• were currently incarcerated.

Dropouts
HS Graduates
College Grads
Source Decennial Census IPUMS, 2000, as
tabulated in Derrick Neal, 2005, Why Has
Black-White Skill Convergence Stopped. NBER
working paper.
9
College Graduation Rates by Gender and Race
Ages 26-35
Blacks
Whites
Source Decennial Census IPUMS, 1960-2000, as
tabulated in Derrick Neal, 2005, Why Has
Black-White Skill Convergence Stopped. NBER
working paper.
10
2002
NAEP Reading Scores for 12th Graders in 1994 and
2002, by Parents Level of Education Source
NAEP Reading Report Card for the Nation, U.S.
Department of Education, 2002 and 2004.
1994
11

• Some Good News
• Black-white and Hispanic-white test score gaps at
  the high school level for NAEP and SAT scores
  narrowed dramatically during the 1970s and 1980s,
  during a period when the gap in high school
  graduation rates also narrowed.
• The black-white IQ gap narrowed by more than 25
  percent between 1972 and 2002.
• There are virtually no differences in mental
  ability by SES or race/ethnicity at 9-11 months
  of age in the National ECLS.
• Some More Bad News
• At the end of the 1980s, black-white and
  Hispanic-white gaps for high school students
  abruptly stopped narrowing for NAEP scores, SAT
  scores and high school graduation rates.

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Standardized NAEP scores for white 9, 13 and
17-year olds. (Distance below 17-year old whites'
scores, as a fraction of white 17-Year olds'
scores in 1996
1988
2004
1984
Reading
1980
1996
WHITES
2004
Age 17
1990
1986
Age 13
Math
1996
Note The horizontal axis is the approximate
birth year.
Age 9
1982
13
Standardized NAEP reading scores for Hispanic 9,
13 and 17-year olds. (Distance below 17-Year old
whites' Scores, as a fraction of white 17-Year
olds' scores in 1996
1990
2004
Age 17
Reading
Age13
1996
Age 9
HISPANICS
2004
1992
Age 17
Math
Age13
Note The horizontal axis is the approximate
birth year.
1996
Age 9
14
Standardized NAEP scores for black 9, 13 and
17-year olds. (Distance below 17-year old whites'
scores, as a fraction of white 17-Year olds'
scores in 1996
1992
1988
2004
Age 17
1984
Reading
Age 13
1988
1996
1980
Age 9
BLACKS
1990
2004
Age 17
Math
1986
Age 13
1996
Note The horizontal axis is the approximate
birth year.
1982
Age 9
15
Changes 1976-2004 in SAT Scores by Racial/Ethnic
Background. Re-centered in 1996. (Three-Year
Moving Averages)
Blacks
Mexican Americans
Whites
Year
16
Changes 1976-2004 in SAT Math Scores by
Racial/Ethnic Background. Re-centered in 1996.
(Three-Year Moving Averages)
Blacks
Mexican Americans
Whites
Year
17
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Nine-year olds NAEP reading and math for blacks
and whites, by year aged 9.
Reading
Math
20
Gain in NAEP reading and math scores from ages 9
to 13, by the year the students were 13 years old.
21
Gains from ages 13 to 17 for synthetic cohorts,
by year aged 17
Reading
Math
22
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Proportions of African American 12th Graders who
Report that they Never Cut Class, by Major U.S.
Census Region
24
Changes from 1984-1996 in black 17-year olds'
mean NAEP reading scores, by region, and in the
national percentage of black students who read
daily or almost daily for pleasure
25

• Conclusions Concerning Trends
• Black-white and Hispanic-white gaps narrowed
  dramatically during the 1970s and 1980s, showing
  clearly that narrowing is possible.
• Progress for black and Hispanic teenagers stopped
  abruptly at the end of the 1980s, with an
  apparent (and unexplained) shift in youth culture
  among black teens leisure reading levels and
  class attendance both fell.
• The birth cohort of black youth that was 13-years
  old in 1988 had the highest-ever NAEP reading
  scores as 13-year olds, but then extremely small
  reading gains by the time they were 17 in 1992.
  It may be just a coincidence, but 1988-92 was the
  commercial take-off period for hip-hop and rap
  music.
• The first few years of the present century have
  shown higher scores and smaller racial gaps in
  the NAEP at 4th and 8th grades, but not at the
  high school level.
• Finally, NAEP data from 1994 and 2002 show that
  remaining gaps among 12th graders are large at
  every level of parental education.

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Acting White Realities, Myths and Challenges
27
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 6th to 12th graders
collected spring 2005 from 17 secondary schools
in NJ, CT, OH, NM, MA and CA.
28
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 6th to 12th graders
collected spring 2005 from 17 secondary schools
in NJ, CT, OH, NM, MA and CA.
29
Why black high school students with A-range
GPAs agree somewhat more than black students
with C-range GPAs with the statement that, At
this school, students like me get accused of
acting white. Percentages of the predicted
difference attributable to each listed factor.
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Considering all black high school students, why
some respond that people like themselves
usually or always get accused of acting
white, while others say usually not or never.
Percentages attributable to each listed factor.
31
Percentages of black female high school students
agreeing that it is at least somewhat true that,
"I sometimes hold back from doing my best in this
class, because of what others might say or
think." Shown by GPA and by whether students
responded "never" to the statement, "At this
school, students like me get accused of acting
white."
32
Percentages of black male high school students
agreeing that it is at least somewhat true that,
"I sometimes hold back from doing my best in this
class, because of what others might say or
think." Shown by GPA and by whether students
responded "never" to the statement, "At this
school, students like me get accused of acting
white."
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• Youth Culture beyond Acting White
• Who are black youth trying to be?
• What gives them self esteem? i.e.,
• On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
• I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on
  an equal basis with others.
• I take a positive attitude toward myself.

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Self-Esteem, by GPA for black and white High
School Students
35
Self-Esteem for male and female teenagers,
related to whether rap or hip-hop music is
always usually, sometimes, usually not or
never an important part of my life.
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 6th to 12th graders
collected spring 2005 from 17 secondary schools
in NJ, CT, OH, NM, MA and CA.
36
Self-Esteem for male and female teenagers,
related to whether rock music is always
usually, sometimes, usually not or never
an important part of my life.
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 6th to 12th graders
collected spring 2005 from 17 secondary schools
in NJ, CT, OH, NM, MA and CA.
37
Self-esteem, by GPA and by whether Hip-Hop music
is usually or always an important part of my
life, for black teenagers.
38
Racial and SES Differences in School Behavior
39
Percent responding, somewhat true, mostly
true, or totally true, that, My behavior is a
problem for the teacher in this class.
Blacks
Whites
Mothers Years of Schooling
Male Female
40
Percent responding that at least sometimes,
People would probably describe my behavior style
as ghetto.
Blacks
Whites
Mothers Years of Schooling
Male Female
41
Percentage who agree that at least sometimes,
Some teachers seem afraid of me,
42
Racial differences in Parenting Styles, re
Warmth/Responsiveness/Nurturance Cognitive
stimulation Outings with parents Time with
mother Parental monitoring Strictness/Demandingne
ss Limited say in rules No arguing about
rules Parental involvement/rules re
schoolwork Limited adolescent decision making
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Adolescent Boys Math Scores National
Longitudinal Survey of Youth, by Parenting Style
From work by Jelani Mandara, Northwestern
University.
44
Adolescent Girls Math Scores National
Longitudinal Survey of Youth, by Parenting Style
From work by Jelani Mandara, Northwestern
University.
45
Reading Scores National Longitudinal Survey of
Youth, by Parenting Style
From work by Jelani Mandara, Northwestern
University.
46
Percentages in each category National
Longitudinal Survey of Youth, by Parenting Style
From work by Jelani Mandara, Northwestern
University.
47
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Home
Intellectual Lifestyles
48
My parents want me to tell them what I learned in
school. (Yes, instead of Maybe or No.)
(Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N687
Black, N1355 Hispanic, N561 White, N2647.
Disadvantaged Asian, N100 Black936
Hispanic281 White337.
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At home, someone is always there to help me with
my homework if I need it. (Yes, instead of
Maybe or No.) (Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N687
Black, N1351 Hispanic, N564 White, N2639.
Disadvantaged Asian, N102 Black940
Hispanic281 White331.
50
I read almost everyday at home. (Yes, instead
of Maybe or No.) (Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N688
Black, N1360 Hispanic, N567 White, N2650.
Disadvantaged Asian, N103 Black944
Hispanic285 White337.
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Percentages who agree, I read almost everyday at
home. (Yes, instead of Maybe or No.)
(Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N688
Black, N1360 Hispanic, N567 White, N2650.
Disadvantaged Asian, N103 Black944
Hispanic285 White337.
52
At home, I watch television more than I do
anything else. (Yes, instead of Maybe or
No.) (Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N687
Black, N1355 Hispanic, N566 White, N2652.
Disadvantaged Asian, N104 Black936
Hispanic280 White335.
53
Percentages with computers in their bedrooms.
(Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and MO.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N690
Black, N1362 Hispanic, N568 White, N2649.
Disadvantaged Asian, N103 Black939
Hispanic286 White339.
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Percentages with televisions in their bedrooms.
(Grades 1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N693
Black, N1364 Hispanic, N570 White, N2654.
Disadvantaged Asian, N105 Black937
Hispanic285 White336.
55
On many days, I get very sleepy at school.
(Yes, instead of Maybe or No.) (Grades
1-6)
Source Calculations by Ron Ferguson, using
Tripod Project data for 1st to 6th graders
collected spring 2005 06 from 45 elementary
schools in NJ, CT, OH, NM, IA, MA, MI and CA.
Advantaged students have (by our definition) at
least one computer in the home AND are not from
single parent households others are labeled
Disadvantaged. Advantaged Asian, N683
Black, N1341 Hispanic, N557 White, N2631.
Disadvantaged Asian, N103 Black933
Hispanic280 White335.
56
Within-race median parental responses in 1998 to
How many childrens books does your
kindergarten child have in your home now,
including library books? By mothers years of
schooling.
Blacks
Whites
Mothers Years of Schooling
Source Presenters calculations using the Early
Childhood Longitudinal Study, a US Dept of
Education national survey.
57
Achievement gaps are often largest between
children of highly educated parents of different
racial and ethnic groups. Parenting, especially
by highly educated parents, is frequently a
neglected topic in achievement-gap discourse.
Along with other issues, it should be higher on
our agenda as we search together for ways of
helping all children to reach their full
potential.
58
Class-to-Class Instructional Quality Differences
and How They Matter
59
ITEMS IN AN INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY INDEX
Class is Engaging 1. My teacher makes lessons
interesting. 2. My teacher makes learning
enjoyable. The Teacher is Relentless 3.
My teacher doesnt let people give up when the
work gets hard. 4. In this class, the teacher
accepts nothing less than our full effort. 5. My
teacher works hard to make sure we learn a
lot. The Teacher Wants Us to Think 6. My
teacher wants us to use our thinking skills, not
just memorize things. The Teacher Welcomes
Questions 7. My teacher in this class
likes it when we ask questions. 8. The teacher in
this class welcomes questions if anyone gets
confused. The Teacher Uses Multiple
explanations 9. If you don't understand
something, my teacher explains it another
way. 10. My teacher has several good ways to
explain each topic that we cover.
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• Aspects of Student Engagement
• Affected by the Quality of Instruction, in ways
  that sometimes differ by race and gender
• Mastery orientation (focus on learning)
• Help seeking attitudes and behaviors
• Good vs. Problem behavior
• Punctuality and Attendance
• Sense of efficacy
• Homework completion rates
• Findings from three-dozen secondary schools
  across eight states

61
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students BEHAVIOR. The
chart shows race and gender patterns for middle
high school students, based on surveying the same
students in multiple classrooms. The
instructional quality index is based on ten
measures of classroom conditions and omits the
students own response from the classroom
composite. (Effect sizes in standard deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
62
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students CLASS
ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY. The chart shows race
and gender patterns for middle high school
students, based on surveying the same students in
multiple classrooms. The instructional quality
index is based on ten measures of classroom
conditions and omits the students own response
from the classroom composite. (Effect sizes in
standard deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
63
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students SENSE OF
EFFICACY. The chart shows race and gender
patterns for middle high school students, based
on surveying the same students in multiple
classrooms. The instructional quality index is
based on ten measures of classroom conditions and
omits the students own response fro the
classroom composite. (Effect sizes in standard
deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
64
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students MASTERY
ORIENTATION. The chart shows race and gender
patterns for middle high school students, based
on surveying the same students in multiple
classrooms (student fixed effects). The
instructional quality index is based on ten
measures of classroom conditions and omits the
students own response from the classroom
composite. (Effect sizes in standard deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
65
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students HOMEWORK
COMPLETION. The chart shows race and gender
patterns for middle high school students, based
on surveying the same students in multiple
classrooms (student fixed effects). The
instructional quality index is based on ten
measures of classroom conditions and omits the
students own response from the classroom
composite. (Effect sizes in standard deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
66
Varying instruction affects class-to-class
differences in the same students WILLINGNESS TO
SEEK HELP FROM THE TEACHER. The chart shows
race and gender patterns for middle high school
students, based on surveying the same students in
multiple classrooms (student fixed effects). The
instructional quality index is based on ten
measures of classroom conditions and omits the
students own response from the classroom
composite. (Effect sizes in standard deviations)
Note sample sizes for Hispanics and Asians were
too small for separate gender estimates.
67
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69
High School Instructional Quality Ratings, by
School
School Id
TOTAL
70
Middle School Instructional Quality Ratings, by
School
School Id
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Teachers Use Multiple Explanations Each vertical
bar is percentage agreement in an individual
classroom Measured by If you dont understand
something, my teacher explains it another way. My
teacher has several good ways to explain each
topic that we cover.
School B
School C
School A
72
Relevance Measured by Things I am learning in
this class will help me in my life
School A
School B
School C
73
Enjoyment Measured by My teacher makes
learning enjoyable. My teacher makes lessons
interesting.
School A
School B
School C
74
Hours Per week of Homework for Surveyed Class,
School Means for 17 Middle Schools and 19 High
Schools (smoothed)
75

• Conclusions
• regarding the quality of instruction
• The quality of instruction matters! Sometimes it
  matters more for some students than for others,
  including more for the behavior of blacks than
  whites.
• Further, all qualities of instruction are well
  represented in most schools.
• Our task may be less to turn bad schools into
  good ones, than to turn bad instruction into
  better instruction in all types of schools.

76

• There is an urgent need for
• Youth cultures that more consistently support
  behaviors consistent with academic learning and
  the pursuit of excellence
• Parenting that nurtures intellectual growth and
  balances warmth and responsiveness with structure
  and demandingness
• Teaching that engages and challenges students
• Community supports to supplement parents and
  teachers
• Leadership to organize, guide and motivate
  others
• in a 21st Century Social Movement for
  Excellence and Equity.
• This presentation urgency AND possibility.

77
Framing the Work for Setting High
Expectationspresentation from the middle
screen
The Achievement Gap Initiative At Harvard
University
Chicago Public Schools Administrative Retreat,
July 19, 2007
Ronald F. Ferguson, PhD Faculty Co-Chair
Director the Achievement Gap Initiative at
Harvard University Founder of the Tripod
Project for School Improvement
Email Ronald_Ferguson_at_harvard.edu
www.AGI.Harvard.edu and www.TripodProject.org
78
Leadership and the Importance of Framing Setting
High Expectations Where does it focus our
attention? What relationship to what people are
calling the new three Rs (Rigor, Relevance,
Relationships)?
79
Framing Regarding the Ultimate Goals to which
high expectations should apply.

• What students should
• come to know
• learn to do
• feel (i.e., accomplishment, satisfaction, . .
  .)
• achieve (e.g., graduation, high scores, . . .)
• learn to believe (re ambitious future possibi-
• lities seem achievable.

Query In what ways does it matter that we make
these explicit at the school level? By what
process do we make the link to strategy?
80

• Issues to confront
• Huge quality variation in each school.
• Low expectations for ourselves as adults
• e.g., Somebody might be able to help kids
  achieve these things were talking about, but not
  me. I dont know how! (And am reluctant at this
  stage in my life to set out on a search to learn
  how.)

81

• Implications if there is a shortage of confidence
  and motivation
• Teachers need ideas that can work effectively in
  the classroom
• Working conditions (including workplace social
  dynamics) that assist and compel them to use
  those ideas.

82

• If Im a student I need to have high expectations
  of my teachers, trusting that
• They care
• Theyre competent
• Theyre dependable
• Theyll treat me with respect.
• These are Four Aspects of Trust
• that relate directly to classroom conditions and
  student engagement
• WHAT ROLE FOR LEADERSHIP?

83
The following slides show sets of bar diagrams
for three high schools. Each bar in each high
school represents one classroom. For positive
statements, the height of the bar for a classroom
represents the percentage of students in that
class who agree by answering true or mostly
true. For negative statements, the height is
the percentage who disagree by answering hardly
true or totally untrue.
84
After School Help is Available Measured by I
can count on my teacher to help me before or
after school, if I need it. If I need help after
school for this class, I can usually get the help
I need.
85
The teacher demands that students work hard.
86
Help and Encouragement Measured by My teacher
in this class shows that he/she will hold me
succeed in class. My teacher in this class cares
a lot about how much all of us learn. My teacher
works hard to make sure we learn a lot The
teacher in this class encourages me to do my
best. .
87
Peer Support (absence of teasing) Measured by
(DISAGREEMENT WITH) Students in this class tease
people who get wrong answers. In this class,
students get teased for making mistakes. In this
class, students get teased if they student hard
to get good grades. In this class, students tell
you if they do better than you. In this class,
some students try to keep others from working
hard. Some classmates thing its not cool for
others to work harder than they do.
88
Target 1a My teacher in this class makes me
feel like he/she truly cares about me.
89
Target 1b DISAGREE WITH I feel out of place
in this class, like I really dont fit.
90
Target 2a DISAGREE WITH My behavior is a
problem for the teacher in this class.
91
Target 2b DISAGREE WITH I dont really care
whether I arrive at this class on time.
92
Target 3a In this class, it is important to me
to thoroughly understand my class work.
93
Target 3b DISAGREE WITH In this class, I
worry that I might not do as well as other
students.
94
Target 3c DISAGREE WITH One of my goals in
this class is to keep others from thinking I'm
not smart.
95
Target 4a I have pushed myself hard to
completely understand my lessons in this class.
96
Target 4b DISAGREE WITH If I were confused in
this class, I would handle it myself, and not ask
for help.
97
Target 4c I don't mind asking questions in
this class if I need to.
98
Target 4d DISAGREE WITH Sometimes I hold back
from doing my best in this class, because of what
others might say or think.
99
Target 5a I have done my best quality work in
this class all year long.
100
Target 5b I have been able to figure out the
most difficult work in this class.
101
Target 5c Even if the work in this class is
hard, I can learn it.