Improving Achievement and Closing Gaps: Lessons from Schools and Districts on the Performance Frontier

7/29/2019 Improving Achievement and Closing Gaps: Lessons from Schools and Districts on the Performance Frontier

1/162

2013 THE EDUCATION TRUST

IMPROVING

ACHIEVEMENTANDCLOSING GAPS:

Lessons from Schooand Districts on the

Performance FrontierBaltimore County Public SchoolsTimonium, MD March, 2013


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America: Two Enduring Stories


3/162



1. Land of Opportunity :

Work hard, and you can becomeanything you want to be.


4/162



2. Generational Advancement:

Through hard work, each generation of parents can assure a better life andbetter education for their children.


5/162



Powerful narratives.

No longer true.


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Within the U.S., incomeinequality has been rising.


7/162 2013 THE EDUCATION TRUST 2012 THE EDUCATION TRUST

Earnings among the lowest income families havedeclined, even amid big increases at the top.

-7%

5% 14%

25%

51%

78%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Lowest20%

Second20%

Third20%

Fourth20%

Top20%

Top5%

P e r c e n t G r o w t h i n M e a n F a m

i l y I n c o m e

C o n s t a n t D o

l l a r s

, 1 9 8 0 - 2

0 1 0

Source: The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2011 (New York: College Board, 2010), Figure 16A.



0.000.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

0.90

1.00

G i n i C o

e f f i c i e n t

Note: Gini coefficient ranges from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates total income equality and 1 indicates total income inequality.

Instead of being the most equal, the U.S. has the thirdhighest income inequality among OECD nations.

United States

Source: United Nations, U.N. data, http://data.un.org/DocumentData.aspx?q=gini&id=271 : 2011
http://data.un.org/DocumentData.aspx?q=gini&id=271http://data.un.org/DocumentData.aspx?q=gini&id=271



Not just wages,

but mobility as well.



Up until about 1980, we weregetting ever better as a country at

delivering on the promise of opportunity for all...



US intergenerational mobility was getting betteruntil 1980, but gotten much worse since

Aaronson and Mazumder. Intergenerational Economic Mobility in the U.S.. 1940-2000.Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago WP 2005-12: Dec. 2005.

0.4 0.35 0.34 0.33

0.460.58

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

E a r n i n g s E l a s t i c i t y

The falling elasticity meant increased economic mobility until 1980. Since then, the elasticity hasrisen and mobility has slowed



Now, instead of being the land of opportunity, the US has one of lowest rates

of intergenerational mobility

0.5 0.470.41

0.320.27 0.19 0.18 0.17 0.15

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

UK US France Germany Sweden Canada Finland Norway Denmark

E a r n i n g s E l a s t i c i t y

Cross-country examples of the link between father and son wages

Hertz, Tom. Understanding Mobility in America . Center for American Progress: 2006.



At macro level, better and moreequal education is not the only thingwe have to do to improve opportunity

and mobility in America.

But at the individual level, it really is.

n/a



What schools and colleges do, inother words, is hugely important toour economy , our democracy , and

our society .



So, how are we doing?



First, some good news.

After more than a decade of fairly flatachievement and stagnant or growinggaps in K-12, we appear to be turning

the corner with our elementarystudents.


17/162 2013 THE EDUCATION TRUST

Source:

Fourth-Grade Reading: NAEP LTTRecord performance with gap narrowing

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008

A v e r a g e S c a

l e S c o r e

9-Year Olds NAEP Reading

African American Latino White

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


18/162 2013 THE EDUCATION TRUST

Fourth-Grade Math: NAEP LTT

Record performance with gap narrowing

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

240

250

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008

A v e r a g e S c a l e S c o r e

9-Year Olds NAEP Math


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



Looked at differently(and on the other NAEP

exam)


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2013 THE EDUCATION TRUST 2012 THE EDUCATION TRUST

1996 NAEP Grade 4 Math

73%61%

26%

24%

32%

49%

3% 7%

26%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t a g e o

f S t u

d e n t s

By Race/Ethnicity Nation

Proficient/Advanced

Basic

Below Basic

NAEP Data Explorer, NCES


21/162


Source:

2011 NAEP Grade 4 Math

34%28%

9%

49%48%

39%

17%24%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%



f S t u

d e n t s

By Race/Ethnicity Nation

Proficient/Advanced

Basic

Below Basic



22/162


Source:

More low-income students are performing athigher levels today than in 1996.

60%

27%

33%

48%

7%

24%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1996 2011


f S t u

d e n t s

Lower Income Students Grade 4 NAEP Math

Proficient/Advanced

Basic

Below Basic



23/162


Middle grades are up, too.


24/162


8 th Grade Reading: Some improvement

and gap closing

236

248238

251

265 272

247253

200

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

1992* 1994* 1998 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011


National Public Grade 8 NAEP Reading

African American

Latino

White

American Indian/Alaska Native

NAEP Data Explorer, NCES (Proficient Scale Score = 281)*Accommodations not permitted


25/162


Source:

8 th Grade Math: Especially over the last decade, allgroups have steadily improved and gaps have

narrowed

236

262245

269269

293

263 266

210

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

1990* 1992* 1996 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011


National Public Grade 8 NAEP Math

African American

Latino

White

American Indian/Alaska Native

NAEP Data Explorer, NCES (Proficient Scale Score = 299)*Accommodations not permitted


26/162


Clearly, much more remains tobe done in elementary and

middle school.Too many students still enter high

school way behind.


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But at least we have some tractionon elementary and middle school

problems.The same is NOT true

of our high schools.


28/162


Source:

Achievement is flat in reading.

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

1984 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999 2004 2008


17-Year-Olds Overall - NAEP

NAEP Long-Term Trends, NCES (2004)


29/162


Source:

Math achievement is flat over time.

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

350

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008


17-Year-Olds Overall - NAEP

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


30/162


And gaps between groups aremostly wider today than in the late

80s and early 90s.


31/162


Source:

12 th- Grade Reading:No progress, gaps wider than 1988

220

230

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008


17-Year-Olds NAEP Reading




32/162


Source:

12 th-Grade Math:Results mostly flat, gaps same or widening

240

250

260

270

280

290

300

310

320

330

340

1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004 2008


17 Year Olds NAEP Math




33/162


Moreover, no matter how you cut

the data, our students arent doingwell compared with their peers in

other countries.


34/162


Source:

Of 34 OECD countries, the U.S.ranks 12 th in reading literacy.

300

350

400

450

500

550

A v e r a g e S c a

l e S c o r e

2009 PISA - ReadingU.S.A. OECD

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

Highlights from PISA 2009, NCES, 2010


35/162


Source: Highlights from PISA 2009, NCES, 2010

350

400

450

500

550

600

A v e r a g e s c a l e s c o r e

2009 PISA - Science

OECD


Of 34 OECD countries, the U.S. ranks 17 th in science.

U.S.A.


36/162


Source: Highlights from PISA 2009, NCES, 2010

350

400

450

500

550

600

A v e r a g e s c a l e s c o r e

2009 PISA - Math

OECD


Of 34 OECD countries, the U.S. ranks 25 th in math.

U.S.A.


37/162


Only place we rank high?

Inequality.


38/162


Source:

Among OECD countries, the U.S. has the fourth largestscience gap between high-SES and low-SES students.

350

400

450

500

550

600

G a p i n A v e r a g e S c a l e S c o r e

2006 PISA - Science

PISA 2006 Results, OECD, table 4.8b

U.S.A. OECD


39/162


Source:

Among OECD countries, the U.S. has the fifth largestreading gap between high-SES and low-SES students.

350

400

450

500

550

600

G a p i n A v e r a g e S c a l e S c o r e

2009 PISA Reading

PISA 2009 Results, OECD, Table II.3.1

U.S.A. OECD


40/162


Gaps in achievement beginbefore children arrive at the

schoolhouse door.But, rather than organizing our

educational system to ameliorate thisproblem, we organize it to exacerbate

the problem.


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How?

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


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Some of these lesses are a resultof choices that policymakers make.


43/162


Funding Gaps Between States

Gap

High-Poverty versus

Low-Poverty States

$2,278

per studentHigh-Minority versusLow-Minority States

$2,330per student


44/162


Funding Gaps Within States: National

inequities in state and local revenue per student

Gap

High-Poverty versusLow-Poverty Districts

$773per student

High-Minority versusLow-Minority Districts

$1,122per student

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


45/162


In truth, though, some of the mostdevastating lesses are a function

of choices that educators make.


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Choices we make about what toexpect of whom.....


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

Students in poor schools receive As for work thatwould earn Cs in affluent schools.

87

35

56

34 41

22 21

11

0

100

P e r c e n

t i l e - C

T B S 4

A B C DGrades

Seventh-Grade Math

Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools


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19% 10%

25%

16%

49%

62%

5% 10%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Overall Enrollment Gifted and Talented Enrollment


f s t u

d e n t s

Asian

White

Latino

African American

Students of color are underrepresented ingifted and talented programs.

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection


49/162


Choices we make about what toteach whom


50/162


35%

68%63%

94%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

African American Latino White Asian P e r c e n

t a g e o

f s t u

d e n t s w

h o w e r e i n t h e t o p t w o

q u i n t i l e s o

f m a t

h p e r f o r m a n c e i n

f i f t h g r a d e a n

d i n

a l g e

b r a i n e i g

h t h g r a d e

Source: NCES, Eighth -Grade Algebra: Findings from the Eighth-Grade Round of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99(ECLS-K) (2010).

Even African-American students with high mathperformance in fifth grade are unlikely to be placed in

algebra in eighth grade


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Students of color are less likely to attendhigh schools that offer physics.

40

66

0

20

40

60

80

100

High schools with the highestAfrican-American and Latino

enrollment

High schools with the lowestAfrican-American and Latino

enrollment

P e r c e n t o f s c

h o o l s o

f f e r i n g P h y s i c s

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, March 2012


52/162


Students of color are less likely to attendhigh schools that offer calculus.

29%

55%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Schools with the Most Black andLatino Students

Schools with the Fewest Black andLatino Students

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights , Civil Rights Data Collection

Percent of Schools Offering Calculus


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And choices we make about

who teaches whom


54/162


Students at high-minority schools morelikely to be taught by novice* teachers.

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. Novice teachers are those with three years or fewerexperience.


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Math classes at high-poverty, high-minority secondary schools aremore likely to be taught by

out-of-field* teachers.

25%22%

11%13%

0%

30%

Poverty Minority

P e r c e n t o f C l a s s T a u g h t b y T e a c h e r s

W i t h N e i t h e r C e r t i f i c a t i o n n o r M a j o r

HighLow

Note: High-poverty school: 55 percent or more of the students are eligible for free/reduced-price lunch. Low-poverty school :15 percent or fewer of thestudents are eligible for free/reduced-price lunch. High-minority school: 78 percent or more of the students are black, Hispanic, American Indian orAlaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander. Low-minority school : 12 percent 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 the U.S.Source: Education Trust Analysis of 2007-08 Schools and Staffing Survey data.


56/162


Tennessee: High-poverty/high-minority schools have fewerof the most effective teachers and more least effective

teachers.

17.6%

21.3%

23.8%

16%

0

5

10

15

20

25

High-poverty/high-minority schools

Low-poverty/low-minorityschools

P e r c e n

t o

f T e

a c

h e r s

Most EffectiveTeachers

Least EffectiveTeachers

Source: Tennessee Department of Education 2007. Tennessees 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 percent of students qualify for FRPL and at least 75 percent are minority.


57/162


Los Angeles: Black, Latino students have fewer highly effective teachers, more weak ones.

Latino andblackstudentsare:

3X aslikely to getlow-effectiveness

teachers

aslikely to gethighlyeffectiveteachers

READING/LANGUAGE ARTS

Source: Education Trust West, Learning Denied, 2012.


58/162


The results are devastating.

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


59/162


African-American and Latino 17-year-oldsdo math at the same levels as white 13-year-olds.

0%

100%

200 250 300 350

P e r c e n t o f S t u d e n t s

Average Scale Score

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

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


60/162


African-American and Latino 17-year-oldsread at the same levels as white 13-year-olds.

0%

100%

150 200 250 300 350

P e r c e n t o f S t u d e n t s

Average Scale Score

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

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


61/162


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


62/162


64% 66%

82%

92%

65%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

African American Latino White Asian Native American

A v e r a g e

d F r e s h m a n G r a

d u a t i o n R a t e

Class of 2009

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Public School Graduates and Dropouts from the Common Core of Data: School Year 200 8-0 9 (2011).

Students of color are less likely to graduate fromhigh school on time.


63/162


Add it all up and throw in college

entry and completion rates,and


64/162


Different groups of young Americans obtain degrees at very

different rates.


65/162


Whites attain bachelors degrees at twice the rate of blacks andthree times the rate of Hispanics.

Source: NCES, Condition of Education 2010 and U.S. Census Bureau, Educational Attainment in the United States: 2011.

39%

20%13%

White African American Latino

Bachelors Degree Attainment of Young Adults(25-29-year-olds), 2011

2x 3x


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Young people from high- income families earn bachelorsdegrees at seven times the rate of those from

low-income families.

Source: Postsecondary Education Opportunity, Bachelors Degree Attainment by Age 24 by Family Income Quartiles, 1970 to 2010.

11%

79%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2010

B a c h e

l o r s D e g r e e a t t a i n m e n t

b y A g e 2 4

Lowest Income Quartile Highest Income Quartile

7x


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These rates threaten the healthof our democracy.

But even for those who dont care much about that, the rates are particularly

worrisome, given which groups aregrowing and which arent.


68/162


Changing demographics demand greaterfocus on underrepresented populations.

2,3124,431

31,337

669

-5,516

15%

96%

137%

50%

-9%

AfricanAmerican

Asian

Latino

NativeAmerican

White

Note: Projected Population Growth, Ages 0 24, 2010-2050

Closing racial gaps in degree attainment will create more than half the degreesnecessary to raise America to first in the world in degree attainment.

Population Increase, Ages 0 24,

(in thousands )Percentage Increase, Ages 0 24

Source: National Population Projections, U.S. Census Bureau. Released 2008; NCHEMS, Adding It Up , 2007.

Th h l #1 till l ti l t i


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Percentage of residents aged 25-64 with a postsecondary degree

United States

OECD Average

Note: Adults with a postsecondary degree include those who have completed either a tertiary-type B program (programs that last for at least two years, areskill-based, and prepare students for direct entry into the labor market) or a tertiary-type A program (programs that last at least three, but usually four, years,are largely theory-based, and provide qualifications for entry into highly-skilled professions or advanced research programs)

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Education at a Glance 2011 (2011)

Though no longer #1, were still relatively strong inoverall educational attainment


70/162


0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Percentage of residents aged 25-34 with a postsecondary degree



But our world standing drops to 15 th for younger adults

United StatesOECD Average


71/162


0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Difference in percentage of residents aged 45-54 and those aged 25-34with a postsecondary degree



Were near the bottom in intergenerational progress

OECD Average

United States


72/162


What Can We Do?

A lot of Americans including a lot of educators dont think there is

anything we CAN do.


73/162


What we hear many say:

Theyre poor. Their parents dont care.

They come to school withoutbreakfast. They dont have enough books.

They dont have enough parents.


74/162


But if theres truly nothing that wecan do, why are low-income

students and students of color performing so much higher in

some schools?


75/162


Source:

Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary SchoolNew Orleans, Louisiana

341 students in grades PK 6 97% African American

88% Low Income

Louisiana Department of EducationNote: Enrollment and demographic data are from 2009-2010


76/162


Source:


Big Gains at Bethune Elementary

41%

75%

59%

67%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2007 2011

P e r c e n t a g e B a s i c o r A

b o v e

Students Overall Grade 5 Math

Bethune

Louisiana

Louisiana Department of Education


77/162


Sourc

e:

Exceeding State Averagesat Bethune Elementary

86% 90%

58%52%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

English Language Arts Math

P e r c e n t a g e B a s i c o r A

b o v e

African-American Students All Grades (2009)

Bethune

Louisiana

Louisiana Department of Education


78/162


Source:

Outperforming the Stateat Bethune Elementary

3%14%6%

20%28%

46%44%

15%19%

4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Bethune Louisiana


f S t u

d e n t s

Students Overall Grade 5 Social Studies (2011)

Advanced

Mastery

Basic

Approaching Basic

Unsatisfactory

Source: Louisiana Department of Education


79/162


Halle Hewetson Elementary SchoolLas Vegas, NV

962 students in grades PK 5 85% Latino

7% African American

100% Low Income 71% Limited English

Proficient

Source: Nevada Department of EducationNote: Data are for 2010-2011 school year


80/162


Source: Nevada Department of Education

7%

78%

26%

50%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2004 2010

P e r c e n

t a g e M e e t s S t a n

d a r

d s

a n d A

b o v e

Latino Students Grade 3 Reading

Hewetson

Nevada

Big Improvementat Halle Hewetson Elementary


81/162


Source: Nevada Department of Education

Exceeding Standards atHalle Hewetson Elementary

4%14%6%

25%28%

33%

63%

29%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Halle Hewetson Nevada


f S t u d e n t s

Low-Income Students Grade 3 Math (2011)

Exceeds Standards

Meets Standards

Approaches Standards

Emergent/Developing


82/162


Source:

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior HighElmont, New York

1,895 students in grades 7-12 77% African American

13% Latino 25% Low-Income

New York Department of Education


83/162


Outperforming the State at Elmont

95% 96% 93%

79%

67%73%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Students African AmericanStudents

Low-Income Students

P e r c e n t a g e M e e t i n g S t a n

d a r

d s o r A

b o v e

Secondary-Level English (2010)

Elmont

New York

New York State Department of Education


84/162


Improvement and High Performanceat Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High

85%

93% 96% 93% 93%96%

46% 51%55%

57% 61% 64%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

P e r c e n

t a g e M e e t i n g S t a n

d a r d s o r A

b o v e

African-American Students Secondary-Level Math

Elmont

New York



85/162


Source:

High Graduation Rates at Elmont Memorial HighSchool

96%98%

89%

99%95%

73%

58% 57%

64%

80%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Overall AfricanAmerican

Latino EconomicallyDisadvantaged

NotEconomically

Disadvantaged


f 2 0 0 6 F r e s

h m e n G r a

d u a t i n g i n

F o u r Y e a r s

Class of 2010

Elmont

New York



86/162


Available from

Harvard Education Pressand amazon.com


87/162


Some districts

DC, Boston, and Charlotte showed the most improvement for


88/162


6

10

13

17

0 5 10 15 20

National Public

Charlotte

Boston

District of Columbia (DCPS)

Change in Mean Scale Score, 2003-2011

Latino Students NAEP TUDA Grade 4 Reading

Source: NCES, NAEP Data ExplorerNote: Chart includes only districts that participated in, and had members of this specific subgroup, in both the 2003 and 2011 NAEP TUDA administrations .

DC, Boston, and Charlotte showed the most improvement forLatino students between 2003 and 2011

African-American students in Atlanta and Boston improved at


89/162


10

15

21

21

0 5 10 15 20 25

National Public

Chicago

Atlanta

Boston

Change in Mean Scale Score, 2003-2011

African-American Students NAEP TUDA Grade 8 Math

Source: NCES, NAEP Data ExplorerNote: Chart includes only districts that participated in, and had members of this specific subgroup, in both the 2003 and 2011 NAEP TUDA administrations .

African American students in Atlanta and Boston improved attwice the rate of their counterparts nationally


90/162


Bottom line: At every level of education, some

getting much better results thanothers.

There is no question that the kids cando this, the questions are about us.


91/162


Baltimore County Public Schools

Rising proficiency rates in Baltimore


92/162


Rising proficiency rates in BaltimoreCounty

87% 89%91% 93%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2009 2010 2011 2012

P e r c e n t p r o

f i c i e n t o r a d v a n c e

d

Students Overall MSA Grade 4 Reading

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card , http://mdreportcard.org/MsaTrends.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:0:13:1:2:1:1:1:1:3 .

Flat math performance in Baltimore
http://mdreportcard.org/MsaTrends.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:0:13:1:2:1:1:1:1:3http://mdreportcard.org/MsaTrends.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:0:13:1:2:1:1:1:1:3


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Flat math performance in BaltimoreCounty

82% 81%84% 82%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2009 2010 2011 2012

P e r c e n t p r o


d

Students Overall MSA Grade 8 Math


Proficiency in algebra rose slightly since


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Proficiency in algebra rose slightly since2008

83% 85% 85% 85%86%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

P e r c e n t p r o


d

Students Overall HSA Algebra


Small gains in English proficiency since


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Small gains in English proficiency since2008

80%84% 84% 85% 85%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

P e r c e n t p r o


d

Students Overall HSA English



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But gaps persist.

(Keep your eyes on the green: bestestimate of proficiency rates postCommon Core)

Students of color half as likely as white students


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4%12% 11%

3%

45%

66%61%

43%

52%

22%28%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

White African-American Latino Asian

P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

MSA - Grade 4 Reading (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card , http://mdreportcard.org/MsaResults.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3 .

Students of color half as likely as white studentsto score at advanced level in reading

Low-income students far less likely to have
http://mdreportcard.org/MsaResults.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3http://mdreportcard.org/MsaResults.aspx?PV=1:4:03:AAAA:2:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3


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11%4%

67%

43%

22%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Low Income Not Low Income

P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

MSA Grade 4 Reading (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


Low income students far less likely to haveadvanced reading skills in BCPS

Half of BCPSs African -American students score at the


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20%

49%36%

9%

38%

38%

39%

28%

43%

13%25%

63%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

MSA - Grade 8 Math (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


basic level in math, only one in 7 scores at Advanced

Low-income students 2.5 times as likely to be at


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46%

20%

40%

35%

14%

44%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

MSA - Grade 8 Math (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


Low income students 2.5 times as likely to be atthe basic level in math

One in eight African-American students and one


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8%22%

13%4%

55%

67%71%

46%

37%

12% 16%

50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

HSA Algebra (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card , http://mdreportcard.org/MsaHighResults.aspx?PV=45:12:03:AAAA:1:N:6:13:2:1:0:1:1:1:3 .

One in eight African American students and onein six Latinos performs at the advanced level in

Algebra

Low-income students less than half as likely to
http://mdreportcard.org/MsaHighResults.aspx?PV=45:12:03:AAAA:1:N:6:13:2:1:0:1:1:1:3http://mdreportcard.org/MsaHighResults.aspx?PV=45:12:03:AAAA:1:N:6:13:2:1:0:1:1:1:3


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19%11%

68%

56%

14%

32%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

HSA Algebra (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


Low income students less than half as likely toperform at advanced level in algebra

Students of color far less likely to score at the


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10%21%

13% 10%

53%

67%69%

51%

38%

12% 17%

39%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

HSA English (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


Students of color far less likely to score at theadvanced level in English

Low-income high school students twice as likely


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21%11%

67%

56%

13%

33%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


P e r c e n t o

f s t u

d e n t s

HSA English (2012)

Advanced

Proficient

Basic


g yto score at basic level in English


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Gaps in graduation rates,

coursetaking, and college-going inBaltimore County

Most Baltimore County students


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84%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

G r a

d u a t i o n r a t e

Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (Class of 2012)

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card, http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3 .

ygraduate on time

Students of color less likely to graduate on time
http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3


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86%81%

73%

92%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


G

r a d u a t i o n R a t e


Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card , http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2 .

y g

Low-income students less likely to graduate on
http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:6:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2


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77%

87%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Low-Income Higher Income

G r a

d u a t i o n R a t e


Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card , http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:5:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2 .

y gtime

Nearly 9 in 10 graduates meet course requirements for
http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:5:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2http://mdreportcard.org/CohortGradRate.aspx?PV=160:12:03:XXXX:1:N:0:5:1:1:0:1:1:1:3&SORT=2


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72%

8%15%

20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

University System of Maryland course

requirements

Career and technologyeducation program

requirements

Both University andcareer/technology

requirements

Rigorous high schoolprogram indicators

P e r c e n t o

f g r a d u a t e s

Class of 2012

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card, http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3 .

admissions to state university system, but few studentscomplete a rigorous high school program.

Note: Rigorous high school program category may overlap with other categories

Wide gaps in rigorous program completion between low-
http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:1:N:0:13:1:1:0:1:1:1:3


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68%

11%15%

7%

74%

6%

15%

27%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

University System of Maryland course

requirements

Career and technologyeducation program

requirements

Both University andcareer/technology

requirements

Rigorous high schoolprogram indicators

P e r c e

n t o

f g r a d u a t e s

Class of 2012

FARMS

Non-FARMS

Source: 2012 Maryland Report Card, http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:3:N:0:5:1:2:1:1:1:2:3 .

income and higher income graduates

Note: Rigorous high school program category may overlap with other categories

Rising college enrollment for all groups
http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:3:N:0:5:1:2:1:1:1:2:3http://mdreportcard.org/HighSchoolCompletion.aspx?PV=38:12:03:AAAA:3:N:0:5:1:2:1:1:1:2:3


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Source: Baltimore County Public Schools, Results of Student Tracker Study from the National Student Clearinghouse 2010 Data S ummary.

of BCPS graduates

45%58%

40%

46%

59% 66%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

P e r c e n t o

f G r a

d u a t e s I m m e

d i a t e

l y E n r o

l l i n g i n

C o

l l e g e

Immediate College Enrollment of BCPS Graduates


Despite improvements, students of color less likely to enroll in


112/162


66%

58%

46%

75%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


P e r c e n t i m m e

d i a t e

l y e n r o

l l i n g i n c o

l l e g e

College Enrollment of BCPS Graduates (Class of 2010)

Source: Baltimore County Public Schools, Results of Student Tracker Study from the National Student Clearinghouse 2010 Data S ummary.

college in the fall following high school graduation


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What Do We Know About How

To Accelerate Success?What do the high performers do?


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#1. They focus on whatthey can do, rather than

what they cant .


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Some of our children live in pretty direcircumstances. But we cant dwell on that,

because we cant change it. So when we come

here, we have to dwell on that which is going tomove our kids.

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

When asked what can be done to


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When asked what can be done tosolve the achievement problem,

some adults just point out theschoolhouse window. But were notlook out the window educators here:

were look in the mirror folks.--Adelaide Flamer

DCPS


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#2. They dont leave anythingabout teaching and learning to

chance.


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An awful lot of our teachers even brand newones are left to figure out on their own what to

teach and what constitutes good enough work.


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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 itand to what level.

A Work in Poor Schools Would Earn


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

Cs in Affluent Schools

87

35

56

34 41

22 21

11

0

100

P e r c e n

t i l e -

C T B S 4

A B C DGrades

Seventh Grade Math

Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools


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Students can dono better than

the assignmentsthey are given...

Grade 10 Writing Assignment


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g g

A frequent theme in literature is theconflict between the individual andsociety. From literature you have read,

select a character who struggled withsociety. In a well-developed essay,identify the character and explain why

this characters conflict with society isimportant.



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Write a composition of at least 4paragraphs on Martin LutherKings most importantcontribution to this society.Illustrate your work with a neat

cover page. Neatness counts.



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2013 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 introducedthe title, author and general background of the novel.

Your thesis will state specifically what Anne's overall personalityis, and what general psychological and intellectual changes sheexhibits over the course of the book

You might organize your essay by grouping psychological andintellectual changes OR you might choose 3 or 4 characteristics(like friendliness, patience, optimism, self doubt) and show howshe changes in this area.

g g



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My Best Friend:

A chore I hate:

A car I want:

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

g g

High Performing Schools and Districts


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g g

Have clear and specific goals for what studentsshould learn in every grade, including the order inwhich they should learn it;

Provide teachers with common curriculum,

assignments; Have regular vehicle to assure common marking

standards; Assess students regularly to measure progress; and, Dont leave student supports to chance.


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In other words, they strive for consistency in everything they

do. And they bring that consistency to

school discipline, as well.


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#3. They set their goals high.


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Elementary Version

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


130/162


Percent of 5 Graders ADVANCED

1

30

1

42

05

10152025

30354045

2001 2005

ReadingMath


131/162


High School Version


132/162


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, GainingGround.


133/162


And the leaders dont think aboutclosing the achievement gap only

as bringing the bottom up.

African American and Latino students are notmaking gains at the advanced level at the same


134/162


0% 0% 0%

1% 1% 1%1%

0%

1% 1%2% 2%

5%

6%

7% 7%

9%

10%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

1996 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009

P e r c e n t a t A

d v a n c e

d

NAEP Grade 8 Math

African American

Latino

White

making gains at the advanced level at the samerate as white students

Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES


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High performers dont just setstretch goals, they use data

pervasively to chart progress,spot problems.


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#4. Principals are hugely important,ever present, butNOT

the only leaders in the school

Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior


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Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior

High School


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How does this come about?

A lot is simply about communication.

Phi Delta Kappan ,December, 2011


139/162


Source:


140/162


Source:


141/162


We do have some problems still.And you all know what they are: our

subgroup populations.


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We need to raise our test scores orthe state/feds are going to come

down on us.


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Source:


144/162


Source:


There is a place of incredible


145/162


Source:

possibilities within the

neighborhoods of these so-called disadvantagedchildren their free publicschools. And inside those

schools, there are educators (us)who have the power and the

privilege to develop in ourchildren perhaps the

most powerful resource of all

the mind.--Molly Bensinger-Lacy


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#5. Good schools know how muchteachers matter, and they act on that

knowledge.

Students in Dallas Gain More in Math withEffective Teachers: One Year Growth From


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3 rd-4 th Grade

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

DIFFERENCES IN TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS ACCOUFOR LARGE DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT LEARNIN


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FOR LARGE DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT LEARNIN

The distribution of value-addedscores for ELA teachers in LAUSD

ACCESS TO MULTIPLE EFFECTIVE TEACHERS CADRAMATICALLY AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING


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DRAMATICALLY AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING

CST math proficiencytrends for second-gradersat Below Basic or Far Below Basic in 2007 who

subsequently had threeconsecutive high or lowvalue-added teachers


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So, there are VERY BIGdifferences among our teachers.


151/162


BUT

We pretend that there arent.

The Widget Effect


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When it comes to measuring instructional performance,current policies and systems overlook significant differencesbetween 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 allteachers as roughly interchangeable, even when theirteaching is quite variable. Consequently, teachers are notdeveloped as professionals with individual strengths andcapabilities, and poor performance is rarely identified oraddressed.

The New Teacher Project, 2009


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Source:


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So, we paper over the differencesamong our teachers ANDwe

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

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


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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 areeligible for free/reduced price lunch. High minority school-75% or more of the students are Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian orPacific 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.


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


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y g y

*Novice teachers are those with three years or fewer experience.


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 fewerof the most effective teachers and more least effective

teachers


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Source : Tennessee Department of Education 2007. Tennessees Most Effective Teachers: Are they assigned to the schools that need t hem

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.

Los Angeles: LOW-INCOME STUDENTS LESS LIKELYTO HAVE HIGH VALUE-ADDED TEACHERS


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A low-incomestudent is66% morelikely tohave a lowvalue-addedteacher.

TO HAVE HIGH VALUE ADDED TEACHERS

A low-incomestudent ismore thantwice as likely to have a low value-added

teacher for ELA

In math, a student from arelatively more affluentbackground is 39% morelikely to get a high value-added math teacher.

ELA MATH A student from a relativelymore affluent background is62% more likely to get a highvalue-added ELA teacher.

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


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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


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Work hard to attract and hold good teachers; Give teachers honest feedback and support to

improve;

Make sure that their best are assigned to thestudents who most need them; and,

Chase out teachers who are not good

enough for their kids.


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All in all, not a very long list.

Mostly just common sense.


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Download this presentation and register for theEducation Trust national conference.

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Results.

October 24-25, Baltimore, MD.www.edtrust.org

Documents

Improving Achievement and Closing Gaps: Lessons from Schools and Districts on the Performance Frontier