If a child isn’t performing well in school, whose fault is it? The child’s? The school’s? The parent’s?
This is one of the questions those that study the achievement gap have been facing. Unfortunately, it is usually a mix of all those listed factors, among others. This begs the question: whose problem is the achievement gap to solve?
Multiple contributors to Education Week have looked at the issue. Walt Gardner, a former teacher and lecturer from Los Angeles, expressed his beliefs in his article, The Hard Truth About the Achievement Gap. He believes, based on his 28 years of teaching experience, that the more a parent is involved with their children’s education, the better their performance in school will be. Gardner states, “When parents don’t do their job, however, they set their children up for failure in school. The streets take over, making it impossible for teachers.” Gardner finds that fault mainly lies with parents and that schools cannot succeed in their task if the parents do not first take on a bigger role in the education process.
Following Gardner’s post, a response to the editor was submitted by Eugena Oh, the President and CEO of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation. She remarks that Gardner’s argument did not consider the weight of systemic inequality. Oh notes, “A single parent may have to work multiple jobs, leaving little time to volunteer in the classroom or spend evenings helping with homework. And these challenges are amplified for first-generation college students.” Her reminder that the gap goes much deeper than a simple lack of parental involvement is significant. A parent’s personal background creates obstacles for support they may want to contribute to their child’s education. Oh highlights in her response that the solution to closing the gap can be found in a community-based approach. Instead of wasting time blaming parents, energies should be spent on supporting them. Below is a video of Oh’s “I Have A Dream” Foundation and it reveals how it has impacted student’s lives.
The type of community-based approach Oh aims for is explored in an article from Denisa Superville. Her piece, In Some Cities, Closing Achievement Gaps Is Not for Schools to Fix Alone, looks at schools in Massachusetts that have been focusing on closing the achievement gap through a city-wide initiative called City Connects. The coordinators of the program sit down with students and find where they can use additional support. That could include “housing assistance, tutoring, or after-school activities like karate.” Focus is directed to four areas of need: academics, health, family, and social-emotional well-being. Some of these areas relate to the school, but most relate to life outside of classroom time. The program is growing and is finding success in how they aid students beyond their academic experiences.
Some of the important elements of the programming Superville investigated included helping reduce barriers that parents of a lower economic status or educational background would face. Oh discussed the difficulties first-generation to college students go through because their parents are unable to guide them through certain processes. Superville’s research notes that the City Connects program: “Another initiative, Future Centers, provides college-assistance offices at select middle and high schools that help students with such tasks as filling out financial-aid applications, going on college visits, preparing for interviews with admissions officials, and seeking scholarships.” The article highlights how the community finds ways to offer services that will help close the gap.
The City Connects program, and others that are similar, are making strong advances in closing the achievement gap. There are those like Gardner that want to place blame, but as Eugena Oh expresses it is not the game we want to waste time playing. Supporting programs similar to Oh’s “I Have a Dream” Foundation or the City Connects program in Massachusetts is the goal all communities should be setting for ourselves. Instead of looking to play the blame game, look for a way to contribute to the success of programs like these.
Post by: Sarah Kaplan