What causes the achievement gap in schools?
There are many causes of Achievement Gap – from racism, lack of acculturation, and socioeconomic status, to sexism and availability of technology. To make things even more complex, these factors all interact with one another, and often it’s impossible to differentiate between their effects.
What factors affect achievement gap?
Five main factors contribute to the achievement gap between white and black students: neighborhood segregation, socioeconomic status, parent influence, school discipline and standardized testing.
Why do achievement gaps occur?
Achievement gaps occur when one group of students (e.g., students grouped by race/ethnicity, gender) outperforms another group and the difference in average scores for the two groups is statistically significant (i.e., larger than the margin of error).
How did the achievement gap start?
Research shows that the achievement gap, which often first manifests itself through standardized tests in elementary school, actually begins well before students reach kindergarten as a “school readiness” gap.
How can achievement gap be improved?
Schools that close achievement gaps focus on improving learning for all students, maintain a “no excuses” attitude, use research and data to improve practice, involve everyone in improvement processes, persist through difficulties and setbacks, and celebrate accomplishments.
How can you help achieve the achievement gap?
Adapt these tried-and-tested methods to begin closing the achievement gap:
- Set benchmarks and track progress.
- Build in time for student self-reflection.
- Keep an open mind and avoid assumptions.
- Develop relationships with parents.
- Introduce texts and topics that are culturally relevant.
- Personalize learning.
How does the achievement gap affect society?
The racial achievement gap has consequences on the life outcomes of minority students. Students with lower achievement are more likely to drop out of high school, entering the workforce with minimal training and skills, and subsequently earning substantially less than those with more education.
How is data used to close the achievement gap?
When does an achievement gap occur in a school?
Achievement gaps occur when one group of students (e.g., students grouped by race/ethnicity, gender) outperforms another group and the difference in average scores for the two groups is statistically significant (i.e., larger than the margin of error).
How does segregation contribute to the achievement gap?
Black students mostly go to school with other Black students. Black students also mostly go to school with low-income students. Do either of these forms of segregation contribute to the racial achievement gap? The new work by Reardon, et al., “ Is Separate Still Unequal?
How are racial achievement gaps related to poverty?
Achievement gaps are strongly correlated with racial gaps in income, poverty rates, unemployment rates, and educational attainment. When these four factors are combined into a single index of racial socioeconomic disparities,…
Are there achievement gaps between black and white students?
NCES explored the achievement gaps between Black and White, and Hispanic and White, students using NAEP data to illuminate patterns and changes in these gaps over time, and identify factors that might underlie such gaps. These results are expected to be helpful to those interested in the improvement of education of our children.