THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP
What is the achievement gap?
The achievement gap in education refers to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students.
Who is experiencing the achievement gap?
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- English language learners
- Students with disabilities
- Students who identify with LGBTQ+
- Students from low-income families
How can you spot an achievement gap?
- Performance on tests (statewide tests, SATs, etc.)
- Access to key opportunities (advanced mathematics, physics, higher education, etc.)
- Attainments (high school diploma, college degree, employment)
THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY ACHIEVEMENT GAP
“Until I came to New York, I didn’t know I was black.” —Chiqui Vicioso, Dominican poet
Within Racial and ethnic minorities, the achievement gap refers to the disparities in standardized test scores between Black and White, Latino and White, and recent immigrant groups and White students.
Figure 2 shows the grade point averages (GPAs) for students who took the SAT in 1998. Even among the “most academically ambitious students”, students like us who took every AP class they could, there are large discrepancies in achievement by race and ethnicity.
There is an inability of teachers to identify giftedness in Latino students. Evidence of this is presented in a study that randomly surveyed all middle and junior high schools in New York State. It was found that training in the identification of gifted minority students increased the nomination of African Americans and Asian Americans, but not Latino students bc teachers’ limited understanding of the effects of language on classroom performance
Language differences also depress standardized test scores, reducing the chances that the minority students will signal their ability through high scores on achievement tests.
Why should we care?
What are some possible solutions to lessening the achievement gap?
- Enhanced Cultural Competence
- Support for Students
- Outreach to Students’ Families
- Classrooms that Support Learning
- Supportive Schools
- Access to Qualified Staff
- Adequate Resources and Funding
Click here to learn more about educational inequality
Sources
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