Data from the 2017 American census shows that the United States is rapidly becoming an increasingly diverse nation, with the number of racial and ethnic minorities growing faster than that of whites. Continue reading
Author: Sophie Wood
Considerable research has focused on trying to identify and address essential factors contributing to the persisting United States racial achievement gap. Research demonstrates that these contributing factors exist both within the school and classroom walls, as well as externally in the home environment or during summer months (see here and here ). Many of these factors such as summer learning loss and limited school resources are addressable through policy shifts or better funding distribution. However, several serious contributors are substantially more difficult to recognize and resolve as they are happening in the unconscious, such as teachers implicit racial bias. Continue reading
Extensive research shows the continued presence of the achievement gap in the United States, drawing links predominantly between the quality of schools and children’s poorer academic performance (see here and here). However, a growing body of research suggests several health factors are being neglected consistently, while disproportionately negatively impacting school-aged children, especially low-income, urban minority youth (see here). Continue reading
Research shows that “environmental exposures may contribute to the etiology of the achievement gap”. Connections have been found between childhood lead exposure and increased cognitive disadvantages, such as decreased performance on standardized intelligence quotient (IQ) tests and cognitive functioning tests, worse end-of-grade (EOG) test scores, and increased neurobehavioural, behavioural, and attention deficits (see here). Continue reading
Since the release of the Coleman Report in the 1970s, the achievement gap in the United States has been a central topic of discussion. Education policymakers and people in the education sphere have been examining the primary causes for the disparities among certain students, as well as the most effective solutions to resolve these vast inequities. The following post will take a closer look at Alma Del Mar Charter School in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It will look at the culture-changing charter school model and the active efforts made within Alma Del Mar to address inequities, as well as analyze test score data from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). Continue reading