From doing research for this blog, I have found several websites that are worth listing because they go into far greater detail about this issue than I can in a page post. I encourage you all to check out these links for further inspiration on ways to close the achievement gap.
For studies about the achievement gap:
http://www.jstor.org/view/01902725/dm993272/99p0211u/0
http://www.ncrel.org/policy/pubs/html/pivol13/dec2002b.htm
http://www.temple.edu/tempress/chapters_1400/1535_ch1.pdf
For articles or blogs about the achievement gap:
http://www.edletter.org/past/issues/2001-mj/gap.shtml
http://www.newhorizons.org/trans/snell.htm
For websites and and organizations that I have found:
http://www.nea.org/achievement/index.html
http://www.msanetwork.org/
I really liked the information presented on these sites. As you look through them though, please make sure that you look at the ending of the URL. The problem with using Internet sources is that sometimes they may be unreliable. In most cases, a .org ending is a little less reliable than a .gov or a .edu; however, this does not mean that the information presented on the .org does not instructional value. Also, it is important when checking out the links, that you are familiar with the appeals that the author is trying to make. With the studies, the appeal will most likely be a logical one. With the articles and organizational links, the appeals may be either emotional or logical. Throughout this project, I have tried to use both logical and emotional appeals because I feel that both are necessary at truly conveying the problem with American education.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Frustration
It has been more fifty years since the Board v. Brown decision. Where have we come? We have made gains, but are they enough? I feel ever more frustrated everyday with the current state of the union. We are weak when it comes to defending the rights of every child to receive a quality first-class education. I have recently been reading the book "Savage Inequalities." The book goes into first-hand detail about the the grotesque inequalities in some of America's schools. It discusses how in some African American communities, kids go to school in the winter with classrooms where the furnace is either broken or over-working. Where have we come? I don't think that Thurgood Marshall would appreciate the still apparent discrepancies in schools serving white students and schools serving black students. I do not think that the countless civil rights attorneys that spent endless hours coming up with arguments to break down the manacles of segregation in schools would be happy to see that segregation within schools is the new way that the races are being kept apart. Their work in many cases is becoming in vain. I think about all of this, and I become FRUSTRATED!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Tracking
A lot of debate about closing the achievement gap and segregation within schools has to do with academic tracking. Academic tracking "can be defined as the placement of students into courses based on their performance in standardized achievement tests and/or IQ tests and in previous courses in the same discipline. In simpler terms according to the Applied Research Center: 'Tracking is the practice of placing students in different classes based on perceived differences in their abilities. '(Tonya Gray, http://www.psparents.net)" Usually, tracking starts in at a very young age in a child's educational career, usually around the second or third grade. Although each child is supposed score a certain percentage on a "special" test to gain admittance into the tracking program, many do not. Through talking to a lot of kids that were placed the program, I have learned that most people just remember being told that they would go to a different class at some point within the day. This illustrates that the lines for getting into the program are not only murky, they do not always apply; when there is no standardized way of testing across the board, certain individuals are looked over, and in this country it is usually the minority students that receive the brunt of the blow.
Although tracking does serve great purpose, and is useful for many students, it is detrimental to some. In most schools, students that are "smart" enough to participated in advanced courses are dubbed gifted. The most widely practiced program for tracking is the AIG, or Academically Intellectually Gifted. This name in of itself discriminates against students that are not in the advanced track. The name "Gifted" creates feelings of superiority and inferiority. How is kid expected to feel and/or react when they are told that they are not gifted. Along with just the psychological effects, it creates de facto segregation within the school. The gifted classes begin to be seen as classes that are meant for the white students, in most cases only white students are placed in the higher tracts, and the remedial classes are seen for black students. Inadvertently, schools have created a system that keeps the races apart by directing them down paths consisting of people who are mostly the same race as them. This only perpetuates further problems by decreasing interracial interaction, limiting friendships, and causing blacks to feel that they can not achieve.
UPDATE: Please look at the comment section of this post, it's quite interesting, and claims are backed up.
Although tracking does serve great purpose, and is useful for many students, it is detrimental to some. In most schools, students that are "smart" enough to participated in advanced courses are dubbed gifted. The most widely practiced program for tracking is the AIG, or Academically Intellectually Gifted. This name in of itself discriminates against students that are not in the advanced track. The name "Gifted" creates feelings of superiority and inferiority. How is kid expected to feel and/or react when they are told that they are not gifted. Along with just the psychological effects, it creates de facto segregation within the school. The gifted classes begin to be seen as classes that are meant for the white students, in most cases only white students are placed in the higher tracts, and the remedial classes are seen for black students. Inadvertently, schools have created a system that keeps the races apart by directing them down paths consisting of people who are mostly the same race as them. This only perpetuates further problems by decreasing interracial interaction, limiting friendships, and causing blacks to feel that they can not achieve.
UPDATE: Please look at the comment section of this post, it's quite interesting, and claims are backed up.
Theories of why the madness exist
The achievement gap is an issue that brings in a lot of speculation, studies, special projects, and researchers. This problem is multi-dimensional, and has no one definitive answer on the best way to solve it. Researchers go back and forth about not only how to solve the problem, but simply trying to find out why it exists, especially in the United States of America.
I have several theories of my own. I think that the achievement gap is the offspring of centuries of racism and bigotry. The beginnings of the achievement gap, in a more broader sense, is exemplified in the 1800s in the Dred Scott case, when the supreme court ruled that African Americans could not expect to achieve the same rights as whites; blacks were not seen as Americans. This is only an example of how blacks were considered to be less than white. This ideology quickly moved into the education arena. White parents did not want their kids going to school with black kids, resulting in segregation. When the black children were segregated, and put in less than satisfactory shacks for schools, they began to internalize feelings of low self-esteem and low self-efficacy, shown through the work of the Clark's famous "Baby Doll Test." These feelings became harbored in the minds of many African Americans, and are still there to some degree today. It is exemplified through the "Acting White" threat, where African Americans that achieve are chastised, and are told that they are trying to be white.
I feel that this issue is the result of other problems as well. I theorize that the issue has to do with societies lack of zeal to take hand on steps to fix the problem by erasing the ideas and stereotypes that America still has about black people. I think that if we as a culture worked together to stop promoting the ideas that certain races are smart, certain races are stupid, and certain races are looking for a handout, we could begin to see that everyone does not start off on an equal playing field, and we could start to move forward from there.
I have several theories of my own. I think that the achievement gap is the offspring of centuries of racism and bigotry. The beginnings of the achievement gap, in a more broader sense, is exemplified in the 1800s in the Dred Scott case, when the supreme court ruled that African Americans could not expect to achieve the same rights as whites; blacks were not seen as Americans. This is only an example of how blacks were considered to be less than white. This ideology quickly moved into the education arena. White parents did not want their kids going to school with black kids, resulting in segregation. When the black children were segregated, and put in less than satisfactory shacks for schools, they began to internalize feelings of low self-esteem and low self-efficacy, shown through the work of the Clark's famous "Baby Doll Test." These feelings became harbored in the minds of many African Americans, and are still there to some degree today. It is exemplified through the "Acting White" threat, where African Americans that achieve are chastised, and are told that they are trying to be white.
I feel that this issue is the result of other problems as well. I theorize that the issue has to do with societies lack of zeal to take hand on steps to fix the problem by erasing the ideas and stereotypes that America still has about black people. I think that if we as a culture worked together to stop promoting the ideas that certain races are smart, certain races are stupid, and certain races are looking for a handout, we could begin to see that everyone does not start off on an equal playing field, and we could start to move forward from there.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Implications
Closing the achievement gap is a contentious problem that has been around for so long, that I wonder if it is possible to truly ever close the gap. Albeit there are examples in which there is empirical data that show that the rate is/was closing, I feel that the data is based on situational occurrences, and therefore does not apply to the entire country.
Although I am skeptical about the ability to solve the problem, I feel that there are several steps that we as a society can take to try to be proactive in fixing the problem. Firstly, centralized funding will help to ensure that every school is receiving an equal distribution of resources. Secondly, strengthening federal programs/acts like "No Child Left Behind" or Headstart programs through increased federal funding. Thirdly, financially rewarding schools that make an active effort to integrate, and keep integrated, schools. Fourthly, and possibly, I think that we as a society must work hard to put an end to racism. We can accomplish this by endorsing integrated neighborhoods, by electing governmental officials that pledge to work hard on solving this problem, by funding programs such as Big Brother/Sister or Project Uplift, that help minority students achieve, or programs like AVID, that help students motivate themselves.
I am cynical that some people are searching for a panacea for this problem. I think that this is issue will stick with us until we as a country decide that we are tired of it, and take an active stance in defeating it. I believe that it is also imperative that we reach out to minority children, and help them realize that unless they achieve, they are only perpetuating a cycle that they are victim to.
Although I am skeptical about the ability to solve the problem, I feel that there are several steps that we as a society can take to try to be proactive in fixing the problem. Firstly, centralized funding will help to ensure that every school is receiving an equal distribution of resources. Secondly, strengthening federal programs/acts like "No Child Left Behind" or Headstart programs through increased federal funding. Thirdly, financially rewarding schools that make an active effort to integrate, and keep integrated, schools. Fourthly, and possibly, I think that we as a society must work hard to put an end to racism. We can accomplish this by endorsing integrated neighborhoods, by electing governmental officials that pledge to work hard on solving this problem, by funding programs such as Big Brother/Sister or Project Uplift, that help minority students achieve, or programs like AVID, that help students motivate themselves.
I am cynical that some people are searching for a panacea for this problem. I think that this is issue will stick with us until we as a country decide that we are tired of it, and take an active stance in defeating it. I believe that it is also imperative that we reach out to minority children, and help them realize that unless they achieve, they are only perpetuating a cycle that they are victim to.
Busing?
How do you close an achievement gap that is the spawn of deep entrenched racism? How do you propose increasing interracial contact between races that are systematically kept apart? The idea of many is to make sure that schools are as equally integrated as possible. Well that presents another problem. A lot of schools, especially in elementary schools, are neighborhood schools; therefore, the racial composition of the schools will mirror the racial composition of the neighborhood. This leads to a lot of segregation within schools.
To confront this segregation, the idea of busing was born. Busing is taking kids from area, or neighborhood, and busing them across town, or to another neighborhood, in order to try to equal the racial composition of the counties schools. Busing has done a great job in integrating schools. It provides a force to push for further integration. Through busing, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system became a model of integrated perfection, with its schools being as racially integrated as possible. Some people consider busing as a way to end white flight, the mass movements of whites from an area.
Although the successes of busing has are wide and copious, there are several of arguments and critics of the system. Some people believe that busing harms kids by placing them in dangerous neighborhoods, or in schools that are in a worse condition than the ones that they would attend if it was not for busing. There have been several supreme court cases that put constraints on busing, like the Miliken decision, which ended cross district busing. Interestingly enough, however, a lot of the anti-busing supporters are white middle class parents, and the pro-busing supporters are usually civil rights fighters.
To confront this segregation, the idea of busing was born. Busing is taking kids from area, or neighborhood, and busing them across town, or to another neighborhood, in order to try to equal the racial composition of the counties schools. Busing has done a great job in integrating schools. It provides a force to push for further integration. Through busing, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system became a model of integrated perfection, with its schools being as racially integrated as possible. Some people consider busing as a way to end white flight, the mass movements of whites from an area.
Although the successes of busing has are wide and copious, there are several of arguments and critics of the system. Some people believe that busing harms kids by placing them in dangerous neighborhoods, or in schools that are in a worse condition than the ones that they would attend if it was not for busing. There have been several supreme court cases that put constraints on busing, like the Miliken decision, which ended cross district busing. Interestingly enough, however, a lot of the anti-busing supporters are white middle class parents, and the pro-busing supporters are usually civil rights fighters.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Closing the Achievement Gap
The purpose of this blog is to explore the many aspects of the academic achievement gap between African Americans and Caucasian Americans. This problem is far reaching, and its consequences cause the downward cycle to continue. There are many factors that help this cycle, ranging from low income, to poor schools, to academic tracking. Some social scientist, such as Charles Murray and Richard Hernstein, have proposed that the reason that there is a gap has to do with racial inferiority on behalf of blacks.
The achievement gap has not always been the way that it is today. In previous times, the gap began to close, but currently, it has began to reopen. All though this is discouraging, because America is reversing its progress, it provides hope because it shows that shrinking the achievement gap is possible. Studies show that in some schools, the gap is narrowing in elementary levels.
This blog will try to discuss and explore the many faucets of the achievement gap by using select examples of ways in which we can close the achievement gap. Because the problem is so large, it is important to note that every possible issue will not be covered, but issues that I feel are important, like: busing, testing, social perceptions of blacks, the actual gains that blacks have made, and state and federal spending helping to fix the problem, will be discussed. The great thing about this social issue is that there are tons of research that will help us to better understand the problem.
The achievement gap is an issue that has several viewpoints and positions associated with it. Schools of thought about the problem range from black inferiority theories such as the "Bell Curve" theory to the idea that smaller classes will cure the problem. Some people believe that the achievement gap is the result of racism. Politics often are pulled into this arena. Certain bills, like the "No Child left Behind" Act, are passed in an effort to close the gap. Local and state authorities, like Bill James, have went on record putting down ideas such as busing as means of closing the gap.
Hopefully from the information presented above, one can see that this issue is extremely important to me. I think that there are issues that need to argued, such as what are we as a country doing to perpetuate the problem, that often get put on the back burner. I question if we by de facto segregation are continuing to provide inequalities in educational opportunity. I wonder if we are allowing the idea of interracial interaction to be reversed. I question if school administrators should force students to mingle in daily activities, such as lunch, through activities such as "Mix It Up a Lunch Day." When I look at all the evidence that has yet been presented, I must question if it is truly the inequities in resources that keep the cycle running, or is it the social climate of America that keep the rigid gap between white and black students.
The achievement gap has not always been the way that it is today. In previous times, the gap began to close, but currently, it has began to reopen. All though this is discouraging, because America is reversing its progress, it provides hope because it shows that shrinking the achievement gap is possible. Studies show that in some schools, the gap is narrowing in elementary levels.
This blog will try to discuss and explore the many faucets of the achievement gap by using select examples of ways in which we can close the achievement gap. Because the problem is so large, it is important to note that every possible issue will not be covered, but issues that I feel are important, like: busing, testing, social perceptions of blacks, the actual gains that blacks have made, and state and federal spending helping to fix the problem, will be discussed. The great thing about this social issue is that there are tons of research that will help us to better understand the problem.
The achievement gap is an issue that has several viewpoints and positions associated with it. Schools of thought about the problem range from black inferiority theories such as the "Bell Curve" theory to the idea that smaller classes will cure the problem. Some people believe that the achievement gap is the result of racism. Politics often are pulled into this arena. Certain bills, like the "No Child left Behind" Act, are passed in an effort to close the gap. Local and state authorities, like Bill James, have went on record putting down ideas such as busing as means of closing the gap.
Hopefully from the information presented above, one can see that this issue is extremely important to me. I think that there are issues that need to argued, such as what are we as a country doing to perpetuate the problem, that often get put on the back burner. I question if we by de facto segregation are continuing to provide inequalities in educational opportunity. I wonder if we are allowing the idea of interracial interaction to be reversed. I question if school administrators should force students to mingle in daily activities, such as lunch, through activities such as "Mix It Up a Lunch Day." When I look at all the evidence that has yet been presented, I must question if it is truly the inequities in resources that keep the cycle running, or is it the social climate of America that keep the rigid gap between white and black students.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
School Desegration
May 18, 1896, the United States Supreme Court voted 7:1 in the historic Plessy v. Ferguson case. Plessy v. Ferguson was a "U.S. Supreme Court decision that established the legality of racial segregation so long as facilities were "separate but equal." The case involved a challenge to Louisiana laws requiring separate rail cars for African Americans and whites. Though the laws were upheld by a majority of 8 to 1, a famous dissent by John Marshall Harlan advanced the idea that the U.S. Constitution is 'color-blind.' (answers.com)" This case provided a legal basis for Jim crow to rule the lives of several minorities. It allowed for separate schools, restaurants, restrooms, and water fountains. The important thing to realize is that separate is never equal, especially when education is concerned.
In 1954, the United States Supreme court reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision in the historic Brown v. Board of Education. This decision said that "Separate was Not equal"; if the races were kept separated, there would be inherent inequalities.
Where this blog becomes interested is in the steady reversal of the Brown decision. Over the last twenty years, schools have steadily undergone measures to re-segregate. From issues such as reversing desegregation plans, such as ending busing, schools are beginning to return back to levels of interracial contact as pre-Brown. By returning to our previous levels, we are going against the entire premise of Brown. If we do that, then we promote the idea that there is no value and gain from cross-racial interactions. Not only are the interactions ended, but disparities begin to pop up. Disparities between resources, such as books and teachers. According to many studies, schools serving predominantly African American students, have teachers that teach at a lower quality than schools that are predominantly white.
In 1954, the United States Supreme court reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision in the historic Brown v. Board of Education. This decision said that "Separate was Not equal"; if the races were kept separated, there would be inherent inequalities.
Where this blog becomes interested is in the steady reversal of the Brown decision. Over the last twenty years, schools have steadily undergone measures to re-segregate. From issues such as reversing desegregation plans, such as ending busing, schools are beginning to return back to levels of interracial contact as pre-Brown. By returning to our previous levels, we are going against the entire premise of Brown. If we do that, then we promote the idea that there is no value and gain from cross-racial interactions. Not only are the interactions ended, but disparities begin to pop up. Disparities between resources, such as books and teachers. According to many studies, schools serving predominantly African American students, have teachers that teach at a lower quality than schools that are predominantly white.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
No Child Left Behind
In today's politically correct society, no professional will come out and say that there is no gap in the achievement of African Americans and Caucasian Americans. The debates center around the best possible ways to solve this problem.
One famous debate on how to close the achievement gap is the "No Child Left Behind Act". The "No Child left behind" law requires states to give students in grades 3-8 an annual test in reading and math. In 10 years, all students are supposed to test as proficient. " Many people feel very strongly about the efficacy of this bill to close the ever widening achievement gap. The Washington Post says that the act sets a "lofty standard." Whether or not the act sets a lofty standard, this act attempts to make progress on solving the problem at hand. Answers.com says that the act is good because it "increases the quality of education. Schools are required to improve their performance under NCLB by implementing 'scientifically based research' practices in the classroom, parent involvement programs, and professional development activities."
The "No Child left behind" act also has several people that are extremely against it. Opponents of this bill say that it "hasn't been effective in improving education in elementary, middle and especially high schools as evidenced by mixed results in standardized tests since NCLB's 2002 inception.(About.com)" Several people say call the bill an unfunded mandate. Some argue that the bill is unfair because has a bias towards groups that are better at taking standardized test.
My opinion of the attempt, is that it was a good start. I believe that the intentions were in the right place. The president saw that there was a problem, and he tried to solve that problem. However, this bill is only a first attempt. Before legislature renews the bill, they need to work out the kinks in it, like making sure that there is enough money in the budget to fund it.
One famous debate on how to close the achievement gap is the "No Child Left Behind Act". The "No Child left behind" law requires states to give students in grades 3-8 an annual test in reading and math. In 10 years, all students are supposed to test as proficient. " Many people feel very strongly about the efficacy of this bill to close the ever widening achievement gap. The Washington Post says that the act sets a "lofty standard." Whether or not the act sets a lofty standard, this act attempts to make progress on solving the problem at hand. Answers.com says that the act is good because it "increases the quality of education. Schools are required to improve their performance under NCLB by implementing 'scientifically based research' practices in the classroom, parent involvement programs, and professional development activities."
The "No Child left behind" act also has several people that are extremely against it. Opponents of this bill say that it "hasn't been effective in improving education in elementary, middle and especially high schools as evidenced by mixed results in standardized tests since NCLB's 2002 inception.(About.com)" Several people say call the bill an unfunded mandate. Some argue that the bill is unfair because has a bias towards groups that are better at taking standardized test.
My opinion of the attempt, is that it was a good start. I believe that the intentions were in the right place. The president saw that there was a problem, and he tried to solve that problem. However, this bill is only a first attempt. Before legislature renews the bill, they need to work out the kinks in it, like making sure that there is enough money in the budget to fund it.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Education
What is education? What is the role of education in America? What is the structure of American education? It is important to understand all of these questions before delving in on the issue of closing the American educational achievement gap between African and Caucasian Americans.
In traditional countries, education was disseminated through the family, tribe, or etc. In many cases, your parents taught you all that they knew, and you made your living from this. For example, if your father was a blacksmith, he taught you the trade, and then you took over the family business. As time progressed, however, this system became inept at disseminating all the information that one would need to become a productive member of society. That is where education through schooling came in play.
The school began to serve many purposes. Two widely accepted duties of schools were to allocate and socialize. The American government used schools to help socialize immigrants into the American culture. Through the amount of education that a person had received, they were then allocated into a social strata. But education has many more duties than to socialize and allocate, "...in the United States, education has been touted by governments and other groups as one of the principal means for creating social equality. ( Jonathan Turner, American Dilemmas, 145)"
A lot of controversy about education today revolves around the central issue of the previously mentioned quote, and of the main focus of this blog. Is America creating social equality through its education system, or is it continuing a downward cycle of inequity between races; an inequity known as the achievement gap.
In traditional countries, education was disseminated through the family, tribe, or etc. In many cases, your parents taught you all that they knew, and you made your living from this. For example, if your father was a blacksmith, he taught you the trade, and then you took over the family business. As time progressed, however, this system became inept at disseminating all the information that one would need to become a productive member of society. That is where education through schooling came in play.
The school began to serve many purposes. Two widely accepted duties of schools were to allocate and socialize. The American government used schools to help socialize immigrants into the American culture. Through the amount of education that a person had received, they were then allocated into a social strata. But education has many more duties than to socialize and allocate, "...in the United States, education has been touted by governments and other groups as one of the principal means for creating social equality. ( Jonathan Turner, American Dilemmas, 145)"
A lot of controversy about education today revolves around the central issue of the previously mentioned quote, and of the main focus of this blog. Is America creating social equality through its education system, or is it continuing a downward cycle of inequity between races; an inequity known as the achievement gap.
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