The Academic Achievement Gap

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The Academic Achievement Gap

• By Wendy Apice-Craig, Ray Pascali,
• and Rick Sabol

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Linus or Charlie?
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Linus or Charlie?
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What about Jesse?
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(No Transcript)
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15 Cents
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• 1970s and 80s
• Students of color made progress in closing the
  gap between them and their white counter parts
• Progress stalled in the next decade
• In all ages and all subjects the gap increased.

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Why do African American and Latino children have
lower scores on standardized tests?

• Socio-cultural reasons
• School Related Causes.

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Why do African American and Latino children have
lower scores on standardized tests?

• Socio-cultural reasons
• segregation
• discrimination
• poverty
• parents low-level education.

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Other Factors

• Children of color are part to blame
• unwilling to give up their unique way of speaking
• drug use
• teenage pregnancy.

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Government Solutions

• Ending Segregation
• Creating laws and policies
• Drug and sex education programs
• Bilingual education.

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Why do African American and Latino children have
lower scores on standardized tests?

• School Related Causes
• Teachers low expectations of children of color
• Less experienced teachers
• Schools prepared them for industrial related jobs
  that no longer existed
• They were often tracked in lower-level courses.

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The Innovative Solution

• NCLB
• Emphasis on state and local accountability for
  the progress of students
• Standardized testing results hold teachers and
  schools accountable.

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The NCLB Solution

• If schools fail to make AYP students are able to
  transfer to a school within the district that has
  made progress
• Within 3 years of inadequate progress districts
  must provide supplementary tutoring

• Within 5 years of inadequate progress schools can
  be closed
• Each child has a highly qualified teacher
• Allows federal funds to be used to improve
  communications with parents.

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Suggestion

• NCLB holds Schools accountable. How about
  holding parents accountable?
• Parent report cards
• Offer teachers monetary incentives to teach in
  poor performing schools
• Wave certification for teachers who have
  comparable business experience
• Bring discipline back to the schools
• Use Ret military to run schools.

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Reinstate the Draft

• Fair
• Include all categories of Americans
• Age, economic status, regional, religious, and
  ethnic groups
• Diversify the military
• Better quality military
• Reduce the number of wars.