Contact: Meg Villarreal, (510)465-6444, ext. 310 or mvillarreal@edtrustwest.org          

 Achievement in California 2006:  Small Gains, Growing Gaps

CDE Results Show Some Growth in Overall Performance, Achievement Gaps Widening, Education Trust—West Analysis Finds

Oakland, CA — California students are showing some progress at almost every grade level, and students are performing at the highest levels since the STAR testing program began almost a decade ago, but too few students overall are performing at grade level, and achievement gaps between low-income and minority students and their more advantaged peers persist, according to a report released today the Education Trust – West. 

The report, “Achievement in California 2006: Small Gains, Growing Gaps,” shines a spotlight on widening achievement gaps and probes beyond the averages put forth in the California Department of Education findings, in order to get a clearer picture of how the state’s Latino, African-American, low-income and English learner students are faring. 

“The wake up call today is California’s stagnant progress towards closing achievement gaps,” said Russlynn Ali, Executive Director of the Education Trust—West.  “We can’t lose sight of the gains California’s students have made in recent years.  But neither the students nor our state can afford any slowdown in academic improvement, so today’s results are actually cause for great concern.” 

EdTrust – West’s Highlights on California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program:

Gains of Recent Years Starting to Wane

Student achievement has been steadily on the rise.  But at most levels, progress is slower this year than in years past.  Take English Language Arts for example:

·           At the 4^th grade level, the percent of students proficient went up 3 points compared to a gain of 8 points in 2005.

·           At the 8^th grade level, the percent of students proficient went up 2 points compared to a gain of 6 points in 2005.

·           At the 11^th grade level, the percent of students proficient stayed exactly the same, whereas in 2005, there was a gain of 4 points.

The bad news is that a larger percentage of students are performing at the below or far below basic levels in English than in years past.

Huge Achievement Gaps Persist

California students as a whole may be making progress, but the achievement of Latino, African-American, low-income, and English learner students remains far behind their peers.  For example:

·           Affluent students are twice as likely as their low-income peers to reach proficiency in English Language Arts.  Conversely, Latino, African-American, and low-income students remain at below and far below basic levels in English at three times the rate of White, Asian, and more affluent students.

·           The gaps in math achievement are even larger.  Low-income students are almost three times as likely to score below the basic level as their more advantaged peers.  On the other hand, White and Asian students are more than twice as likely to be proficient in math as Latino and African-American 4^th graders.

Traction Stops at Middle and High School

By middle school, the achievement gap has grown to four years worth of learning. 

·           On the CAT/6, reading performance shows that African-American and Latino 7^th graders are performing at the same level as White 3^rd graders.  Also, on the same exam, low-income 7^th graders read at the same level as non-poor 3^rd graders. 

·           By 11^th grade, the proficiency levels are worse and the gaps grow even wider.  Now more than half of African-American and Latino students score below or far below basic on 11^th grade English Language Arts.

·           White students are three times more likely and Asian students are about five times more likely to be proficient in Algebra than their African-American peers.

Achievement Gaps Are For the Most Part, Growing

At most grade levels, the achievement gap has remained the same or grown over the last four years. 

• In English Language Arts, the achievement gap in 4^th and 8^th grades between Latino, African-American and low-income students and their more advantaged, White and Asian peers, is on the rise. 
• Overall in grades 2–11, African-American and Latino students still trail their White and Asian counterparts by over 30 percentage points in English Language Arts. 

But it Doesn’t Have to Be This Way

There are high-minority and high-poverty schools across the state that are also amongst the highest performing in the state.  These schools show that low-achievement isn’t inevitable.  Take, for example:

• Ralph Bunche Elementary in Compton Unified.  Ralph Bunche is 98% African-American and Latino and 94% low-income.  A full 93% of Bunche’s Latino 4^th graders are proficient or above in math, compared to less than half of their Latino peers in the district and state. 
• Or take Mathson Middle in Alum Rock Union, where 100% of the students are low-income and 83% are Latino.  At Mathson, a full 89% of its Latino students are proficient in Algebra compared to only about 26% of Latino students statewide. 
• And at the high school level, like Preuss School in San Diego, where 100% of the students are low-income, a full 78% of Preuss’ low-income students are proficient in English Language Arts compared to only about 1 in 5 low-income students statewide. 

·           The most promising news of the day comes from California’s ELL students who have been redesignated as English proficient.  A full 83% of these 4^th graders are proficient in math—up six points from last year. 

When talking about the 2006 STAR data upon the release this morning, State Superintendent Jack O’Connell said his top priority over the next four years will be closing the achievement gap.  He discussed a focus on teacher support and interventions.  Those are steps in the right direction.  But there is much more work to do.  California needs a comprehensive plan to close the opportunity gaps – gaps in access to effective teaching, rigorous curricula, and dollars – that give rise to the achievement gap. 

“We know why the achievement gap exists, and it’s not the kids,” Ali said. “In this state we provide poor kids and kids of color less of everything research says makes a difference.  If we’re serious about making the rhetoric on closing the gap a reality, then we need to do the opposite and provide them more,”  Ali concluded. 

To download a copy of the report, “Achievement in California 2006:  Small Gains, Growing Gaps,”  visit: http://www2.edtrust.org/edtrust/etw.  

About the Education Trust-West
The Education Trust—West is the West Coast partner of the national policy organization the Education Trust.  The organization works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, kindergarten through college with an emphasis on serving low-income, Latino, African-American and Native American students.  The Education Trust—West works alongside policymakers, parents, education professionals, and business and community leaders, in cities and towns throughout California, who are trying to transform their schools and colleges into institutions that genuinely serve all students.  To learn more about the Education Trust—West, visit www.edtrustwest.org.

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