© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUST ARE WE MAKING THE GRADE FOR STUDENTS? Lessons from Schools and Districts...

© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUST

ARE WE MAKING THE GRADE FOR STUDENTS?Lessons from Schools and Districts on the Performance Frontier

Iowa Council on FoundationsOctober, 2010


First, some good news.

After more than a decade of fairly flat achievement and stagnant or

growing gaps, we appear to be turning the corner.


Source:

4th Grade Reading:Record Performance with Gap Narrowing

1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

9 Year Olds – NAEP Reading

African American Latino White

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES*Denotes previous assessment format


Source:

4th Grade Math:Record Performance with Gap Narrowing

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

9 Year Olds – NAEP Math


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



Source:

8th Grade Reading: Recent Gap Narrowing for Blacks, Less for Latinos

1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290



Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



Source:

8th Grade Math: Progress for All Groups, Some Gap Narrowing

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300



Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



Progress Even Clearer When Examined Over a Decade on the

“Main NAEP” Exam


Source:

1996 NAEP Grade 4 Math

African American Latino White0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

73%61%

26%

24%

32%

49%

3% 7%

26%

By Race/Ethnicity – Nation

Proficient/AdvancedBasicBelow Basic

Perc

enta

ge o

f Stu

dent

s

NAEP Data Explorer, NCES


Source:

2007 NAEP Grade 4 Math

African American Latino White0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

37% 31%

9%

48%47%

40%

15%22%

51%

By Race/Ethnicity – Nation


Perc

enta

ge o

f Stu

dent

s



Source:

NAEP Grade 4 Math1996 Compared to 2007

1996 20070%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

60%

30%

33%

48%

7%22%

Low-Income Students – Nation


Perc

enta

ge o

f Stu

dent

s



Bottom Line:

When we really focus on something, we make progress!


Clearly, much more remains to be done in elementary and middle school

Too many youngsters still enter high school way behind.


But at least we have some traction on elementary and middle school

problems.

The same is NOT true of our high schools.


Source:

Achievement Flat in Reading

1984 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999 2004240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

289285

17 Year Olds Overall - NAEP

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

NAEP Long-Term Trends, NCES (2004)


Source:

Math achievement flat over time

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

350

304300 298

302 305 307 306 307 308 305 306

17-Year-Olds

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress* Denotes previous assessment format

© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUST© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUST

And gaps between groups are mostly wider today than in late

eighties, early nineties


Source:

12th Grade Reading: No Progress, Gaps Wider than 1988

1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320



Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



Source:

12 Grade Math: Results Mostly FlatGaps Same or Widening

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340



Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



And no matter how you cut the data, our students aren’t doing well

compared to their peers in other countries.


Rankings are for the 26 OECD countries participating in PISA in 2000, 2003, and 2006.

PISA PerformanceU.S.A. Ranks Near Bottom, Has Fallen Since 2000

Subject 2000 Rank(out of 26)

Mathematics 17th

Science 13th

Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2006 Results , http://www.oecd.org/

2003 Rank(out of 26)

22nd

Tied for 17th

2006 Rank(out of 26)

22nd

19th


A closer look at math


Source:

Of 29 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 24thFin

land

Kore

aNet

herla

nds

Japa

nCa

nada

Belgi

umSw

itzer

land

New Ze

aland

Aust

ralia

Czec

h Re

publ

icIce

land

Denm

ark

Fran

ceSw

eden

Aust

riaGe

rman

yIre

land

OECD

Aver

age

Slova

ck R

epub

licNor

way

Luxe

mbo

urg

Polan

dHu

ngar

ySp

ainUni

ted

Stat

esPo

rtuga

lIta

lyGr

eece

Turk

eyM

exico

300

350

400

450

500

550 2003 PISA - Math

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

PISA 2003 Results, OECD

U.S.A.


Problems are not limited to our high-poverty and high-minority

schools . . .


U.S. Ranks Low in the Percent of Students in the Highest Achievement Level (Level 6) in Math

Bel

gium

Kor

ea

Japa

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inla

ndN

ethe

rland

sN

ew Z

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alia

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ada

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ark

Sw

eden

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CD

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rage

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Ger

man

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ay

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and

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urg

Hun

gary

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

Italy

Tur

key

Spa

inP

ortu

gal

Gre

ece

Mex

ico

0

2

4

6

8

10

Pe

rce

nt

of

Stu

de

nts

Source: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results, data available at http://www.oecd.org/

http://www.oecd.org/


U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29 OECD Countries in the Math Achievement of the Highest-Performing Students*

Belg

ium

Japa

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rea

Switz

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ther

land

sNe

w Z

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and

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ited

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Turk

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300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

Ave

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core

* Students at the 95th PercentileSource: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), PISA 2003 Results , data available at




U.S. Ranks 23rd out of 29OECD Countries in the Math Achievement of High-SES Students

Belg

ium

Neth

erla

nds

Finl

and

Czec

h Re

pu...

Cana

daJa

pan

Kore

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itzer

land

Aust

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Germ

any

New

Zea

land

Fran

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Aust

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ECD

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Rep

u...

Luxe

mbo

urg

Irela

ndIc

elan

dPo

land

Norw

ayUn

ited

Stat

esSp

ain

Port

ugal

Italy

Gree

ceTu

rkey

Mex

ico

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

Ave

rage

Sca

le S

core




Problems not limited to math, either.


Science?


Finl

and

Can

ada

Japa

nN

ew Z

eala

ndA

ustra

liaN

ethe

rland

sR

epub

of K

orea

Ger

man

yU

nite

d K

ingd

omC

zech

Rep

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witz

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ustri

aB

elgi

umIre

land

Hun

gary

Sw

eden

OE

CD

Ave

rage

Pol

and

Den

mar

kFr

ance

Icel

and

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

Slo

vak

Rep

ubS

pain

Nor

way

Luxe

mbo

urg

Italy

Por

tuga

lG

reec

eTu

rkey

Mex

ico

300

350

400

450

500

550

Av

era

ge

Sc

ale

Sc

ore

PISA 2006 Science Of 30 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 21st

U.S.A.

Source: NCES, PISA 2006 Results, http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/

Higher than U.S. average Not measurably different from U.S. average Lower than U.S. average


Immigrants? The U.S.A. does have a larger percentage of immigrants and children of immigrants than most

OECD countries

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

Per

cen

t o

f S

tud

ents

2nd Generation 1st Generation

Source: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c, http://www.oecd.org/

U.S.A.


But ranks 21st out of 30 OECD countries when only taking into account native student* scores

PISA 2006 Science

Finl

and

Can

ada

New

Zea

land

Net

herla

nds

Ger

man

yJa

pan

Sw

itzer

land

Aus

tralia

Aus

tria

Kor

eaB

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ingd

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zech

Rep

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wed

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bour

gIre

land

OE

CD

Ave

rage

Hun

gary

Fran

ceD

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Pol

and

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

Icel

and

Spa

inN

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ayS

lova

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epub

Italy

Por

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lG

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Mex

ico

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

Av

era

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Sc

ale

Sc

ore

U.S.A.

*Students born in the country of assessment with at least one parent born in the same countrySource: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c, http://www.oecd.org/


Even in problem-solving, something we consider an American strength…


Source:

U.S.A. Ranks 24th Out of 29 OECD Countries in Problem-Solving

Kore

aFin

land

Japa

nNew

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Belgi

umSw

itzer

land

Nethe

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ance

Denm

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OECD

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350

400

450

500

550

6002003 PISA

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

PISA 2003 Results, OECD

U.S.A.


We used to make up for some of this by sending far more of our

students to college—but no longer.


U.S: 3rd Out of 30 OECD Countriesin Overall Postsecondary AttainmentC

anad

a Ja

pan

Uni

ted

Sta

tes

Fin

land

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101520253035404550 Chart Title

Per

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Source: 2007 OECD Education at a Glance, www.oecd.org/edu/eag2007. Note: data is for 2005.

United States (38%)


U.S. tied for 9th out of 30 OECD nations in the percentage of younger workers with an associates

degree or higherC

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United States (39%)


U.S. is one of only two OECD nations where today’s young people are not better educated than their

parentsKo

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Only place we rank high?

Inequality.


*Of 29 OECD countries, based on scores of students at the 5th and 95th percentiles.

PISA 2003: Gaps in Performance Of U.S.15 Year-Olds Are Among the Largest of OECD

Countries

Rank in Performance Gaps Between Highest and Lowest Achieving

Students *

Mathematical Literacy 8th

Problem Solving 6th




These gaps begin before children arrive at the schoolhouse door.

But, rather than organizing our educational system to ameliorate this problem, we organize it to exacerbate the problem.


How?

By giving students who arrive with less, less in school, too.


Some of these “lesses” are a result of choices that policymakers make.


Source:

National Inequities in State and Local Revenue Per Student

GapHigh Poverty vs. Low Poverty Districts

–$773 per student

High Minority vs. Low Minority Districts

–$1,122 per student

Education Trust analyses based on U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Census Bureau data for the 2005-06 school year.


In truth, though, some of the most devastating “lesses” are a function of choices that we educators make.


Choices we make about what to expect of whom…


Source: Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997.

Students in Poor Schools Receive ‘A’s for Work That Would Earn ‘Cs’ in

Affluent Schools87

35

56

34 41

22 21

11

0

100

Per

cent

ile -

CT

BS

4

A B C DGrades

Seventh Grade Math

Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools


Choices we make about what to teach whom…


African American, Latino & Native American high school graduates are less likely to have been enrolled

in a full college prep track

25

46

22 21

39

0

50

AfricanAmerican

Asian Latino NativeAmerican

White

per

cen

t in

co

lleg

e p

rep

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.

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


Percent of Students Completing Advanced Math Courses

Pre-calculus/analysis Calculus0

20

40

32

1618

6

20

7

WhiteBlackHispanic

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s W

ho E

arne

d Cr

edits

in M

ath

Cour

ses

Source: MPR Research (2010). STEM Coursetaking Among High School Graduates 1990-2005. Available at http://www.mprinc.com/products/pdf/STEM_Coursetaking_Brief.pdf Data are for 2005.

http://www.mprinc.com/products/pdf/STEM_Coursetaking_Brief.pdf


Percent of Students Completing Advanced Science Courses

Advanced biology Physics0

20

40

60

433836

2827 26WhiteBlackHispanic

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s W

ho E

arne

d Cr

edits

in M

ath

Cour

ses

Source: MPR Research (2010). STEM Coursetaking Among High School Graduates 1990-2005. Available at http://www.mprinc.com/products/pdf/STEM_Coursetaking_Brief.pdf Data are for 2005

http://www.mprinc.com/products/pdf/STEM_Coursetaking_Brief.pdf


And choices we make about who teaches whom…


More Classes in High-Poverty, High-Minority Schools Taught By Out-of-Field Teachers

34%

19%

29%

21%

0%

50%

Per

cen

t o

f C

lass

es T

aug

ht

by

Ou

t o

f F

ield

Tea

cher

s

*Teachers lacking a college major or minor in the field. Data for secondary-level core academic classes.Source: Richard M. Ingersoll, University of Pennsylvania. Original analysis for the Ed Trust of 1999-2000 Schools and Staffing Survey .

High poverty Low poverty High minority Low minorityNote: High Poverty school-50% or more of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Low-poverty school -15% or fewer of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch.

High-minority school - 50% or more of the students are nonwhite. Low-minority school- 15% or fewer of the students are nonwhite.


Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced* Teachers

20%

11%

21%

10%

0%

25%

Perc

en

t o

f T

each

ers

Wh

o A

re

Inexp

eri

en

ced

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Monitoring Quality: An Indicators Report,” December 2000.

*Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience.

High poverty Low poverty High minority Low minority

Note: High poverty refers to the top quartile of schools with students eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Low poverty-bottom quartile of schools with students eligible for free/reduced price lunch. High minority-top quartile; those schools with the highest concentrations of minority students. Low minority-bottom quartile of schools with the lowest concentrations of minority students


Results are devastating.

Kids who come in a little behind, leave a lot behind.


African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Do Math at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds

200 250 300 3500%

100%

White 13 Year-Olds African American 17 Year-Olds Latino 17-Year Olds

Average Scale Score

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress

Note: Long-Term Trends NAEP


African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds Read at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds

150 200 250 300 3500%

100%

White 13 Year-Olds African American 17 Year-Olds Latino 17 Year-Olds

Average Scale Score

Perc

ent o

f Stu

dent

s

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress

Note: Long-Term Trends NAEP


And these are the students who remain in school through 12th grade.

Add those all up and throw in college entry and graduation, and…


Of Every 100 White Kindergartners:

94 Graduate from high school or get a GED

67 Complete at least some college

37 Obtain at least a Bachelor’s Degree

(25-to 29-Year-Olds)Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2008, in The Condition of Education 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2009/pdf/23_2009.pdf

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2009/pdf/23_2009.pdf


Of Every 100 African American Kindergartners:

88 Graduate from High School or get a GED

51 Complete at Least Some College

20 Obtain at Least a Bachelor’s Degree

(25-to 29-Year-Olds)

Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2008, in The Condition of Education 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2009/pdf/23_2009.pdf



Of Every 100 Latino Kindergartners:

68 Graduate from high school or get a GED



(25-to 29-Year-Olds)

Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2008, in The Condition of Education 2009. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2009/pdf/23_2009.pdf



Of Every 100 American Indian/Alaskan Native Kindergartners:

(25 Years Old and Older)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. Data source: Census 2000, www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/censr-28.pdf

71 Graduate from high school



http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/censr-28.pdf


College Graduates by Age 24

Young People From High Income Families

75%

Young People From Low Income Families

9%

Source: Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Educational Opportunity..


What Can We Do?An awful lot of educators have

decided that we can’t do much.


Source:

What We Hear Many Educators Say:

• They’re poor• Their parents don’t care• They come to schools without

breakfast• Not enough books• Not enough parents

N/A


But if they are right, why are low-income students and students of

color performing so much higher in some schools…


Frankford Elementary School


Frankford ElementaryFrankford, Delaware

• 449 Students in Grades PreK-5• 29% African American• 34% Latino• 34% White• 76% Low-Income

Source: Delaware Department of Education Online School Profiles, http://issm.doe.state.de.us/profiles/EntitySearch.ASPX


Frankford ElementaryClosing Gaps, Grade 5 Reading

Source: Delaware Department of Education, DSTP Online Reports, http://dstp.doe.k12.de.us/DSTPmart/default.asp


Frankford ElementaryClosing Gaps, Grade 5 Math



Frankford ElementaryHigher Proficiency Rates than the State,

2005 Grade 3 Reading



Frankford ElementaryHigher Proficiency Rates than the State,

2005 Grade 3 Math



Source:

George Hall Elementary SchoolMobile, AL

• 530 Students• 100% African American• 99% Low-Income

Alabama Department of Education


Four years ago, school was lowest performing in the district and among the bottom few in the state. District

reconstituted—and restaffed.


Source:

Rapid Improvement

Alabama Department of Education


Source:

George Hall Elementary, Grade 5 Math2008

SchoolDistrict--White

Students State--White Students

0102030405060708090

100 96.5

59.153.2

Level IV

Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, “Does the System succeed with All Kinds of Kids.


Source:

George Hall Elementary, Grade 5 Reading2008

SchoolDistrict--White

Students State--White Students

48

50

52

54

56

58

60

62 61.4

53.5 54.7

Level IV

Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, “Does the System Succeed with All Kinds of Kids.”


Source:

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior HighElmont, New York

• 1,880 students in grades 7-12– 76% African American– 14% Latino

• 28% Low-Income

New York Department of Education


Elmont: Out-Performing the StateSecondary-Level English

Source: New York Department of Education, https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/


Source:

Improvement and High Performance at Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High

2005 2006 2007 20080%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

85%

93% 96% 93%

46%51%

55% 57%

African-American Students – Secondary-Level Math

ElmontNew York

Perc

enta

ge M

eetin

g St

anda

rds



Source:

More Students Graduate at Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High

African American Latino Low-Income0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100% 97% 94% 93%

55% 53%60%

Class of 2007

ElmontNew York

Gra

duati

on R

ate



Very big differences at district level, too—even in the performance of the

“same” group of students.


180

190

200

210

District ofColumbia

LosAngeles

Atlanta Chicago Cleveland NationalPublic

SanDiego

Charlotte Houston New YorkCity

Boston

Low-Income African American Students do Better in Some Districts (NAEP Reading 4th 2003)

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Trial Urban District Reading Assessment.

* There is a 19 point gap between Poor African American 4th graders in the District of Columbia and Boston (roughly equivalent to 2 years’ worth of learning)


225

235

245

255

LosAngeles

District ofColumbia

Atlanta Chicago NationalPublic

SanDiego

Cleveland Boston Charlotte New YorkCity

Houston

Low-Income African American Students do Better in Some Districts

(NAEP Math 8th 2003)

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Trial Urban District Reading Assessment.

* There is a 28 point gap between Poor African American 8th graders in Los Angeles and Houston (roughly equivalent to 3 years’ worth of learning)


There are even big differences among states in the performance of

the “same” group of students.


Bottom Line:

At every level of education, what we do matters a lot!


Iowa?


Source:

Performance of Iowa’s 4th Graders on State and National Reading Exams

Education Watch: 2009


Source:

Performance of Iowa 8th Graders on State and National Math Exams

Education Watch: 2009


Compared with other states?


Source:

Mas

sach

usett

sNew

Ham

pshi

reVe

rmon

tM

aryla

ndCo

lora

doKe

ntuc

kyM

onta

naNew

York

Miss

ouri

Penn

sylva

nia

Rhod

e Isla

ndW

yom

ing

Sout

h Da

kota

Was

hing

ton

Nation

al Pu

blic

North

Car

olin

aIlli

nois

Mich

igan

Geor

giaTe

nnes

see

Arka

nsas

Wes

t Virg

inia

Alas

kaM

ississ

ippi

Calif

orni

aLo

uisia

na

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

Grade 4 – NAEP Reading (2009)

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore

NAEP Data Explorer, NCES (Proficient Scale Score = 238)

Average Overall Scale Scores by State

Iowa


Source:

Mas

sach

usett

sM

aryla

ndCo

lora

doVi

rgin

iaNew

York

Illino

isM

inne

sota

North

Car

olin

aPe

nnsy

lvani

aGe

orgia

Verm

ont

Kent

ucky

Mon

tana

North

Dak

ota

Indi

ana

Wisc

onsin

Haw

aiiAl

abam

aId

aho

Mich

igan

Utah

Iow

aTe

nnes

see

Oklaho

ma

Nevad

aW

est V

irgin

ia

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


Average White Scale Scores by State

Iowa


Source:

Mas

sach

usett

sVe

rmon

tDe

lawar

eTe

xas

Kans

asVi

rgin

iaNew

York

Rhod

e Isla

ndIn

dian

aNati

onal

Publ

icGe

orgia

Kent

ucky

North

Car

olin

aIo

wa

Ohio

Utah

Nevad

aCa

lifor

nia

Arka

nsas

Main

eOkla

hom

aLo

uisia

naM

ichiga

n

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


Average African-American Scale Scores by State


Source:

Florid

aM

onta

naDe

lawar

eSo

uth

Dako

taHa

waii

Ohio

New Je

rsey

Wyo

min

gKa

nsas

Texa

sIo

wa

Oklaho

ma

Mich

igan

Sout

h Ca

rolin

aCo

lora

doIlli

nois

Arka

nsas

Wisc

onsin

New M

exico

Alab

ama

Nevad

aAr

izona

Orego

nUta

h

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


Average Latino Scale Scores by State


Source:

Florid

aKe

ntuc

kyVe

rmon

tM

onta

naKa

nsas

Main

eId

aho

Indi

ana

Miss

ouri

Virg

inia

Texa

sOhi

oAr

kans

asGe

orgia

Nation

al Pu

blic

Penn

sylva

nia

North

Car

olin

aTe

nnes

see

Alab

ama

Orego

nM

inne

sota

Illino

isLo

uisia

naNew

Mex

icoAr

izona

Alas

ka

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

260


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


Average Low-Income Scale Scores by State


Source:

Average Overall Scale Scores by StateM

assa

chus

etts

Verm

ont

New Je

rsey

Mon

tana

Was

hing

ton

Kans

asPe

nnsy

lvani

aCo

lora

doIn

dian

aM

aine

Virg

inia

Ohio

North

Car

olin

aIo

wa

Delaw

are

New Yo

rkNati

onal

Publ

icFlo

rida

Mich

igan

Geor

giaAr

kans

asTe

nnes

see

Haw

aiiCa

lifor

nia

New M

exico

Miss

issip

pi

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320Grade 8 – NAEP Math (2009)

Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore



Source:

Average White Scale Scores by StateM

assa

chus

etts

New Je

rsey

Min

neso

taCo

nnec

ticut

Mon

tana

Sout

h Da

kota

Delaw

are

Kans

asPe

nnsy

lvani

aW

iscon

sinNew

Ham

pshi

reVe

rmon

tAr

izona

Indi

ana

Ohio

Orego

nFlo

rida

Utah

New M

exico

Main

eM

ichiga

nAr

kans

asHa

waii

Oklaho

ma

Alab

ama

Wes

t Virg

inia

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


Iowa


Source:

Average African-American Scale Scores by StateM

assa

chus

etts

Haw

aiiW

ashi

ngto

nVi

rgin

iaNew

Jers

eyM

aryla

ndKa

nsas

Orego

nSo

uth

Caro

lina

Geor

giaNor

th C

arol

ina

Main

eNati

onal

Publ

icOhi

oIo

wa

Kent

ucky

Nevad

aIlli

nois

Wisc

onsin

Arka

nsas

Calif

orni

aM

ichiga

n

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


STATE


Source:

Average Latino Scale Scores by StateM

issou

riM

onta

naHa

waii

Mar

yland

Kans

asVi

rgin

iaKe

ntuc

kyM

assa

chus

etts

New H

amps

hire

Arka

nsas

Mich

igan

Sout

h Ca

rolin

aSo

uth

Dako

taCo

lora

doNati

onal

Publ

icPe

nnsy

lvani

aId

aho

Was

hing

ton

Oklaho

ma

Nevad

aNew

York

Utah

Rhod

e Isla

nd

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


STATE


Source:

Average Low-Income Scale Scores by StateNor

th D

akot

aM

onta

naId

aho

New H

amps

hire

Texa

sIn

dian

aM

aine

Delaw

are

New Je

rsey

Orego

nFlo

rida

Ohio

Kent

ucky

Penn

sylva

nia

Utah

Colo

rado

Nebra

ska

Oklaho

ma

Arka

nsas

Conn

ectic

utNev

ada

Wes

t Virg

inia

New M

exico

Tenn

esse

eCa

lifor

nia

Alab

ama

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310


Aver

age

Scal

e Sc

ore


STATE


Source:

College Going Rate for Recent High School Graduates, 2008

Miss

issip

piNew

York

New Je

rsey

Geor

giaVi

rgin

iaNew

Mex

icoRh

ode I

sland

Delaw

are

Indi

ana

Kans

asLo

uisia

naPe

nnsy

lvani

aU.S

.Ohi

oAr

kans

asTe

nnes

see

Kent

ucky

Mich

igan

Wisc

onsin

Florid

aIlli

nois

Oklaho

ma

Mon

tana

Was

hing

ton

Verm

ont

Alas

ka

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Chart Title

Colle

ge C

ontin

uatio

n Ra

te

Postsecondary Education Opportunity

National Average = 63.3%


Source:

When High School Dropout Rate is Factored In, the Picture is Different

(HS Grad Rate x College Continuation Rate, 2008)

Sout

h Da

kota

New Je

rsey

North

Dak

ota

Conn

ectic

utNew

Ham

pshi

rePe

nnsy

lvani

aVi

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iaRh

ode I

sland

Miss

ouri

Indi

ana

Mar

yland

Colo

rado

Calif

orni

aTe

nnes

see

North

Car

olin

aUta

hW

est V

irgin

iaM

ichiga

nKe

ntuc

kyNew

Mex

icoM

onta

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uisia

naTe

xas

Was

hing

ton

Arizo

naNev

ada

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Chart Title

Chan

ce fo

r Col

lege

by

Age

19

Postsecondary Education Opportunity



Source:

Six-Year College Graduation Rates, 2008M

assa

chus

etts

Mar

yland

Verm

ont

Conn

ectic

utCa

lifor

nia

New Je

rsey

New H

amps

hire

Min

neso

taW

iscon

sinSo

uth

Caro

lina

Indi

ana

Orego

nOhi

oM

ichiga

nKa

nsas

Wyo

min

gM

ississ

ippi

Florid

aGe

orgia

Oklaho

ma

North

Dak

ota

Wes

t Virg

inia

Mon

tana

Arka

nsas

New M

exico

Alas

ka

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Chart Title

Gra

duati

on R

ate

NCHEMS Information Center, 2008


First-time, full-time freshmen completing a BA within 6 years


Source:

Adults Ages 25-64 with at least an Associate’s Degree, 2008

Mas

sach

usett

sNew

Ham

pshi

reNor

th D

akot

aNew

Jers

eyNew

York

Virg

inia

Was

hing

ton

Illino

isNeb

rask

aSo

uth

Dako

taCa

lifor

nia

Wisc

onsin U.S

.De

lawar

eM

aine

Alas

kaW

yom

ing

Miss

ouri

Idah

oAr

izona

Indi

ana

Alab

ama

Tenn

esse

eM

ississ

ippi

Loui

siana

Wes

t Virg

inia

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Chart Title

Perc

ent w

ith C

olle

ge D

egre

es




Source:

Adults Ages 25-64 with at least a Bachelor’s Degree, 2008

Mas

sach

usett

sNew

Jers

eyCo

lora

doNew

Ham

pshi

reM

inne

sota

Rhod

e Isla

ndKa

nsas

Haw

aiiCa

lifor

nia

Utah

U.S.

Delaw

are

Mon

tana

Sout

h Da

kota

Alas

kaM

issou

riM

aine

Texa

sAr

izona

New M

exico

Indi

ana

Tenn

esse

eOkla

hom

aLo

uisia

naM

ississ

ippi

Wes

t Virg

inia

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%Chart Title

Perc

ent w

ith B

ache

lor’

s Deg

ree

or H

ighe

r




Accelerating Progress:What can we learn from the

high performers?


#1. They focus on what they can do, rather than what they can’t.


Some schools and districts get all caught up in “correlations”.

Spend endless time tracking:

• Percent of babies born at low birth-weight• Percent of children born to single moms• Percent of children in families receiving

government assistance• Education levels of mothers


“ Some of our children live in pretty dire circumstances. But we can’t dwell

on that, because we can’t change it. So when we come here, we have to

dwell on that which is going to move our kids.”

Barbara Adderly, Principal,M. Hall Stanton Elementary, Philadelphia

The leaders in high-performing high poverty schools and districts don’t do that.


#2. They don’t leave anything about teaching and learning to chance.


Result? A System That:

• Doesn’t expect very much from MOST students

• Expects much less from some types of students than others.

An awful lot of our teachers—even brand new ones—are left to figure out on their own what to teach and what constitutes

“good enough” work.


“No,” say the education leaders. “They’re supposed to teach to

standards!”But when is the last time you looked

at a standard?


Sample Language Arts Standard:Grade 9

“The student will develop and apply expansive knowledge of words and word

meanings to communicate.”














Sample History Standard

“Students understand how science, technology and economic activity

have developed, changed and affected societies throughout

history.”


What does this do?

Leaves teachers entirely on their own to figure out what to teach, what order to teach it in, HOW to

teach it…and to what level.


Source: Prospects (ABT Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997.

‘A’ Work in Poor Schools Would Earn ‘Cs’ in Affluent Schools

87

35

56

34 41

22 21

11

0

100

Per

cent

ile -

CT

BS

4

A B C DGrades

Seventh Grade Math

Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools


Students can do no better than

the assignments they are given...


Grade 10 Writing AssignmentA frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. From literature you have read, select a character who struggled with society. In a well-developed essay, identify the character and explain why this character’s conflict with society is important.


Grade 10 Writing Assignment

Write a composition of at least 4 paragraphs on Martin Luther King’s most important contribution to this society. Illustrate your work with a neat cover page. Neatness counts.

© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUSTSource: Unnamed school district in California, 2002-03 school year.

Essay on Anne Frank

Your essay will consist of an opening paragraph which introduced 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.



•My Best Friend:

•A chore I hate:

•A car I want:

•My heartthrob:Source: Unnamed school district in California, 2002-03 school year.



High Performing Schools and Districts

• Have clear and specific goals for what students should learn in every grade, including the order in which they should learn it

• Provide teachers with common curriculum, assignments

• Have regular vehicle to assure common marking standards

• Assess students every 4-8 weeks to measure progress• Act immediately on the results of those assessments


In other words, they strive for consistency in everything they

do.And they bring that consistency to

school discipline, as well.


#3. They set their goals high.


Elementary Version…


M. Hall Stanton Elementary:Percent of 5th Graders ADVANCED

1

30

1

42

05

1015202530354045

2001 2005

Reading

Math


High School Version…


Even when they start with high drop out rates, high impact high schools focus on preparing all

kids for college and careers

Education Trust 2005 study, “Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground.”


#4. Higher performing secondary schools put all kids

—not just some—in a demanding high school core

curriculum.

And those demanding courses are not just demanding in name only.


The single biggest predictor post-high

school success is the QUALITY AND

INTENSITY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL

CURRICULUMCliff Adelman, The Toolbox Revisited, U.S. Department of Education


College prep curriculum has benefits far beyond college.


Students of all sorts will learn more...


Source: USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, in Issue Brief: Students Who Prepare for College and Vocation

*Grade 8-grade 12 test score gains based on 8th grade achievement.

Low Quartile Students Gain More From College Prep Courses*


They will also fail less often...


Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers

Source: SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.

Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles


And they’ll be better prepared for the workplace.


Twenty-two states now making college prep the

default curriculum.


#5. Principals are hugely important, ever present, but NOT the only leaders

in the school


Source:

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior HighElmont, New York



In high performing schools…

• Teachers regularly observe other teachers• Teachers have time to plan and work

collaboratively• New teachers get generous and careful

support and acculturation• Teachers take on many other leadership tasks

at the school


#6. Good schools know how much teachers

matter, and they act on that knowledge.

© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUSTSource: Gordon, R., Kane, T.J., and Staiger, D.O. (2006). Identifying Effective teachers Using Performance on the Job. Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution.

10 Percentile Point Average Difference for Students who have Top and Bottom QuartileTeachers


Students in Dallas Gain More in Math with Effective Teachers: One Year Growth From 3rd-4th Grade

Source: Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.


Cumulative Teacher Effects On Students’ Math Scores in Dallas (Grades 3-5)

Source: Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on Longitudinal Student Achievement, 1997.

Beginning Grade 3Percentile Rank= 55

Beginning Grade 3Percentile Rank= 57


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.


So, there are VERY BIG differences among our teachers.


BUT…

We pretend that there aren’t.


The Widget Effect

“When it comes to measuring instructional performance, current policies and systems overlook significant differences between teachers. There is little or no differentiation of excellent teaching from good, good from fair, or fair from poor. This is the Widget Effect: a tendency to treat all teachers as roughly interchangeable, even when their teaching is quite variable. Consequently, teachers are not developed as professionals with individual strengths and capabilities, and poor performance is rarely identified or addressed.”

• The New Teacher Project, 2009


Source:


Source:


So, we paper over the differences among our teachers AND…we

continue to assign our weakest to the kids who need the strongest.


Math Classes at High-Poverty and High- Minority Schools More Likely to be Taught by Out of Field* Teachers

Note: High Poverty school-75% or more of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Low-poverty school -15% or fewer of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch. High minority school-75% or more of the students are Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander. Low-minority school -10% or fewer of the students are non-White students.

*Teachers with neither certification nor major. Data for secondary-level core academic classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) across USA.Source: Analysis of 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey data by Richard Ingersoll, University of Pennsylvania 2007.


Students at High-Minority Schools More Likely to Be Taught By Novice* Teachers

*Novice teachers are those with three years or fewer experience.Source: Analysis of 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey data by Richard Ingersoll, University of Pennsylvania 2007.

Note: High minority school-75% or more of the students are Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander. Low-minority school -10% or fewer of the students are non-White students.


Tennessee: High poverty/high minority schools have fewer of the “most effective” teachers and more “least effective”

teachers

Source: Tennessee Department of Education 2007. “Tennessee’s Most Effective Teachers: Are they assigned to the schools that need them most?” http://tennessee.gov/education/nclb/doc/TeacherEffectiveness2007_03.pdf

Note: High Poverty/High minority means at least 75% qualify for FRPL and at least 75% are minority.


Low-Achieving Students are More Likely to be Assigned to Ineffective Teachers than Effective Teachers

Source: Sitha Babu and Robert Mendro, Teacher Accountability: HLM-Based Teacher Effectiveness Indices in the Investigation of Teacher Effects on Student Achievement in a State Assessment Program, AERA Annual Meeting, 2003.


High performing schools and districts…

• Work hard to attract and hold good teachers • Make sure that their best are assigned to the

students who most need them• Chase out teachers who are not “good

enough” for their kids.


#7. In good systems, leaders are focused, relentless, and they

have the…


…Courage to take on the tough parts.














Preserving our freedoms as Americans has required courage, tenacity and a high level of skill from generations of soldiers.

Today, it requires those same things of us.


The children in the pictures that follow are some of the lucky ones. Though they are poor…they live on the high end of the gap because they attend schools

that enable their students to soar.







But most of the children who look like them aren’t so lucky. They live on the bottom side of the gap.

Not because they couldn’t learn…but because we didn’t bother to teach them.


The most important agenda for all of us?

Turning that around.


Participate in our 2010 Conference

1250 H Street N.W. Suite 700Washington, D.C. 20005202/293-1217

This November, Take Charge of Change. Join us November 4-6 for our National Conference,

Taking Charge of Change: Effective Practices to Close Gaps and Raise Achievement.”

For more information, visit www.edtrust.org


College Ready: Iowa vs. NationalAll test takers


College Ready: Iowa vs. National White Test Takers


College Ready: IA, MN, NationalAll test takers


College Ready: IA, MN, NationalWhite


Average ACT Performance


What can funders do?

A few thoughts


1. Honest evaluation

What could you do to help your district, state “get over” the idea that

honest evaluation is somehow punitive? If honest evaluation is

fundamental to the improvement of any organization, how could you

provide help on both the substance of a better approach and on

communication?


2. Changing the status hierarchy.Right now, status and rewards are perverse: they flow not based on

how good a teacher or school is, but how elite the kids are. What could you do to help turn that around, so that honor and support flowed to those doing the most challenging

work?


3. Honest information for parents.

How could you help the parents in your community know how far away are kids are from the internationally

benchmarked performance they need to be competitive?


4. Demand for excellence.

Do most parents in Iowa get that their kids aren’t doing so well? Are they demanding improvement from district leaders? If not, what could you do to stimulate that demand?


5. School boards

Are your school boards leading for change, or are they mostly protecting

the status quo? If the latter, what could you do to change that?


6. School leadership matters a lot.

What could you do to help create a supply of great school leaders?


7. Learning from successSchool folks learn best from each

other. But most school people don’t actually have much opportunity to learn from the teachers, principals

and superintendents who are hitting it out of the park on student

achievement. What could you do to create such a vehicle?


8. High quality curriculum.

In high performing countries, teachers don’t have to make up what

they are going to teach each day: they have a strong, coherent

curriculum and lots of well designed lessons. What could you do to make

sure teachers in your community/state had that kind of

support?

Date post:	31-Mar-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	larissa-walls
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© 2010 THE EDUCATION TRUST ARE WE MAKING THE GRADE FOR STUDENTS? Lessons from Schools and Districts...

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