Today: Achievement gap a focus at board meeting Schools & Kids, posted by Editor, The Almanac Online, on Feb 15, 2012 at 1:10 pm
The achievement gap -- the difference in academic performance between students with socio-economic advantages and students without them -- comes up for an extended discussion by the board of the Sequoia Union High School District on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 10:39 AM
Posted by Boardermom, a resident of the Woodside: Emerald Hills neighborhood, on Feb 15, 2012 at 1:10 pm
A great and eye opening book for anyone interested in learning more about the achievement gap is called Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele. Steele did research at both the University of Chicago and Stanford University before landing at Harvard. Based on his studies at Stanford, testing students of color and white students with identical SAT scores, he discovered that students tend to perform according the cultural stereotypes they carry in their heads. When given a math test, the students of color did worse than the white males. When tested on their athletic abilities, the white males did worse than their african american peers. Steele writes that he believes putting a lot of emphasis on STAR and benchmark testing has exactly the opposite effect of what schools seek to achieve. Rather than raising scores, it lowers them. You can find his book in any independent book store or online.
Posted by Dave Boyce, Almanac staff writer, on Feb 16, 2012 at 9:24 am Dave Boyce is a member (registered user) of Almanac Online
The Sequoia board did not intend to discuss in extended detail the achievement gap, but the questions for staff to monitor when presenting issues related to the achievement gap to the board.
The Almanac regrets this misinterpretation of the board's agenda.
View in an RSS Reader
E-mail this topic.
Print this topic.
