Yes We Can: Telling Truths, Dispelling Myths Race and Education in America

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Yes We Can Telling Truths, Dispelling
MythsRace and Education in America

• NCEBC March 2007

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Myth African American students enter school
behind in reading
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When SES is controlled for, African American
students have slightly stronger reading skills
than do White students when they start
kindergarten.
Source Ronald G. Fryer and Steven D. Levitt.
The Black-White Test Score Gap Through Third
Grade. National Bureau of Economic Research,
January 2005.
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CHICAGO CHILD-PARENT CENTERS Developmental
Outcomes CCP children not only outperform
children in the comparison group, but also scored
near, at, or better than national norms.
National Average
Source Reynolds, A., Temple, J., Robertson, D.,
Mann, E. and Ou, S. (2003). Prevention and Cost
Effectiveness in the Chicago Child-Parent
Centers. Presentation at the Society for Research
in Child Development, April 26, 2003, Tampa,
Florida.
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• Despite their ability,
• too many children of color are failing
  academically.

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At the end of third grade, African American
students master the same basic reading skills
that White students have mastered at the end of
first grade.
Source Ronald G. Fryer and Steven D. Levitt.
The Black-White Test Score Gap Through Third
Grade. National Bureau of Economic Research,
January 2005.
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2005 NAEP Grade 4 ReadingPercent NOT Proficient
Source U.S. Department of Education, NAEP 2005,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
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2005 NAEP Grade 8 MathPercent NOT Proficient
Source U.S. Department of Education, NAEP 2005,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
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African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Do Math
at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
Note Long-Term Trends NAEP
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress
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African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Read at
Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
Note Long-Term Trends NAEP
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress
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Myth African American Students achieve at the
same low levels in all districts and states
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2005 NAEP Grade 4 Reading African American Scale
Scores
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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African American Students do Better in Some
StatesNAEP 2005 Grade 8 Math
Proficient Scale Score 299
26 Points
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde
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Poor African American Students do Better in Some
Districts (NAEP Math 8th 2005)
Proficient Scale Score 299
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer,
http//nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde
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A Tale of Two Virginia Districts
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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Fairfax Outperforms the State and Richmond for
Grade 3 Reading Achievement on the VSOL, All
Students
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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The Same Is Not True for African-American
Students for Grade 3 Reading Achievement on the
VSOL
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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And It Is The Same Story in Grade 3 Math
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Again, Fairfax Outperforms the State and Richmond
for Grade 3 Math Achievement on the VSOL, All
Students
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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But, Fairfax has some Catching-up to do for
African-American Students in Math Achievement on
the Grade 3 VSOL,
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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minority-group achievement throughout the county
remains lower than white achievement. More
striking was her (Marias) additional discovery
that minority test scores, particularly
African-American test scores, remain
significantly lower in Fairfax than in other
Virginia school systems, including some, such as
Richmond's, which are predominantly black and not
as respected as the Fairfax schools.
Washington Post, Editorial, November 14, 2004
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Myth Parents education has a greater effect on
achievement than good teaching and challenging
curriculum.
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Good Teachers Matter Most

• The latest research confirms what we first
• reported in Good Teaching Matters that
• effective teachers are hugely importantthe
• single biggest factor in student learning.

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• The Rivkin, Hanushek, and Kain estimates
• of teacher performance suggest that having
• five years of good teachers in a row could
• overcome the average seventh-grade
• mathematics achievement gap .
• A 1.0 standard deviation above average, or at
  the 85th quality percentile

Source Eric A. Hanushek and Steven G. Rivkin,
How to Improve the Supply of High-Quality
Teachers, In Brookings Papers on Education
Policy 2004, Diane Ravitch, ed., Brookings
Institution Press, 2004. Estimates based on
research using data from Texas described in
Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement,
Working Paper Number 6691,National Bureau of
Economic Research, released July 2002.
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Students Who Start 2nd Grade at About the Same
Level of Math Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Finish 5th Grade Math at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Students Who Start 3rd Grade at About the Same
Level of Reading Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Finish 6th Grade at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
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Students Assigned to Effective Teachers
Dramatically Outperformed Students Assigned to
Ineffective Teachers
Source William L. Sanders and June C. Rivers,
Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on
Future Students Academic Achievement, University
of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment
Center, 1996.
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• Even though we know
• that teachers can literally
• make or break a
• childs progress for years
• to come

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No matter what measure you use

• Years of experience
• Certification status
• Major in field
• Effectiveness raise achievement
• levels

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low-income, minority, and low-performing
students DO NOT get the same access to good
teachers.
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Classes in High-Minority and High-Poverty
Secondary Schools More Likely to be Taught by
Teachers Lacking Even a Minor in the Subject
Theyre Teaching
Low lt15 High gt50
Source National Center for Education
Statistics, 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing
Survey. Calculations by Richard Ingersoll,
University of Pennsylvania Published by The
Education Trust, All Talk No Action, August 2002.
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Schools Educating Students of Color Have Fewer
Experienced Teachers
Teachers with more than 3 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.
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All students dont get challenging curriculum.
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Compare the following 2 assignments.. Which
assignment would you like your child/grand
child/niece/nephew or friends child to have?
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Grade 7 Writing Assignment
Essay on Anne Frank Your essay will consist of
an opening paragraph which introduces the title,
author and general background of the novel.
Your thesis will state specifically what Anne's
overall personality is, and what general
psychological and intellectual changes she
exhibits over the course of the book You might
organize your essay by grouping psychological and
intellectual changes OR you might choose 3 or 4
characteristics (like friendliness, patience,
optimism, self doubt) and show how she changes in
this area.
Source Unnamed school district in California,
2002-03 school year.
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Grade 7 Writing Assignment

• My Best Friend
• A chore I hate
• A car I want
• My heartthrob

Source Unnamed school district in California,
2002-03 school year.
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African American, Latino Native American high
school graduates are less likely to have been
enrolled in a full college prep track
percent in college prep
Full College Prep track is defined as at least 4
years of English, 3 years of math, 2 years of
natural science, 2 years of social science and 2
years of foreign language
Source Jay P. Greene, Public High School
Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the
United States, Manhattan Institute, September
2003. Table 8. 2001 high school graduates with
college-prep curriculum.
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Myth Schools Serving High Populations of African
American and Poor Students Cant Achieve Academic
Success.
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Centennial Place Elementary SchoolAtlanta,
Georgia

• 528 students in grades K-5
• 92 African American
• 62 Low-Income

Source School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolmatters.com
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Centennial PlaceHigh Achievement for All
StudentsGrade 5 Math, 2005
Source School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolmatters.com
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Centennial PlaceHigh Achievement for All
StudentsGrade 5 Reading, 2005
Source School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolmatters.com
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Centennial PlaceHigher Proficiency Rates than
the StateGrade 5, 2005
Source School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolmatters.com
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Centennial PlaceHigher Proficiency Rates than
the StateGrade 4, 2005
Source School Information Partnership,
http//www.schoolmatters.com
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M. Hall Stanton Elementary, Philadelphia City
School District

• 436 Students Grades K-5
• 99 African American
• 99 Low-Income
• Did Not Make AYP in 2002
• Did Not Make AYP in 2003
• Made AYP in 2004
• Made AYP in 2005

Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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M. Hall Stanton Elementarys Grade 5 PSSA
Reading Proficiency
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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M. Hall Stanton Elementarys Grade 5 PSSA Math
Proficiency
Source School Matters, www.schoolmatters.com
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Port Chester Middle SchoolPort Chester, New York

• 759 students in grades 5-8
• 65 Latino
• 12 African American
• 64 Low-Income

Source New York State Education Department,
http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2005/
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Raising Achievement, Closing Gaps at Port
ChesterGrade 8 Math Over Time
Source New York State Education Department,
http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2005/
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Raising Achievement, Closing Gaps at Port
ChesterGrade 8 Reading Over Time
Source New York State Education Department,
http//emsc33.nysed.gov/repcrd2005/
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Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High SchoolElmont,
New York

• 1,966 Students in Grades 7-12
• 75 African American
• 12 Latino
• 24 Low-Income

Source New York State School Report Card,
http//www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/reportcard/
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Elmont MemorialHigh Performance Over Time
Source New York State School Report Card,
http//www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/reportcard/
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Elmont MemorialHigher Percentage of Students
Meeting Graduation Requirements then the State,
Regents English
Source New York State School Report Card,
http//www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/reportcard/
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Elmont MemorialHigher Percentage of Students
Meeting Graduation Requirements then the State,
Regents Math
Source New York State School Report Card,
http//www.emsc.nysed.gov/irts/reportcard/
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What do successful schools, districts, states do?

• Invest in teacher quality
• All students get same high level curriculum, with
  appropriate support
• More time for students who need it schedules
  suit students not adults
• Resources equitably distributed more to those
  who need it
• Use artifact analysis as well as data analysis to
  improve instruction.

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• Stephanie Robinson, Ph. D.
• Senior Consultant
• The Education Trust
• www.edtrust.org
• 202-293-1217

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Students Who Start 2nd Grade at About the Same
Level of Math Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
59
Finish 5th Grade Math at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
60
Students Who Start 3rd Grade at About the Same
Level of Reading Achievement
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.
61
Finish 6th Grade at Dramatically Different
Levels Depending on the Quality of Their Teachers
Source Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash
Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on
Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.