Date: 03/22/2006

Final
Achievement Gap

COMMITTEE ON JOINT EDUCATION

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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07:42 AM -- Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by the co-chairman, Representative Merrifield.


07:43 AM -- Addressing the Achievement Gap

Richard Rothstein, research associate at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington D.C., was introduced to make a presentation on the student achievement gap. He discussed the current national discussion on the issue and its relationship to goals for achievement under the federal "No Child Left Behind Act." He referred to the various social and economic circumstances that impact student achievement and that are unrelated to the school performance.


07:46 AM

Dr. Rothstein provided examples of various health issues, such as vision and eye care, that can be factors in academic achievement. He said that research indicates that fine motor skills have a high correlation to literacy and achievement. Rates of asthma and anemia in low-income students were also discussed as having consequences in cognitive ability. Dr. Rothstein continued his presentation by discussing mobility rates, and the impact of high mobility on students. He said that he is not suggesting that school quality is unimportant, but rather that closing the achievement gap will also require addressing social and health circumstances of low-income children. He suggested that education and social policies need to be integrated.

07:54 AM

Dr. Rothstein testified that an overemphasis on school reform delegitimizes efforts at broader social and economic policies. Dr. Rothstein responded to questions from committee members. Dr. Rothstein said he advocates changing the nature of public discussion on the achievement gap. He provided additional information on his background and responded to questions on his recent book, "Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic and Educational Reform to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap." Dr. Rothstein was asked to comment on recent research into the achievement gap for male students and on special education programs.

08:02 AM

Lawrence Hernandez, principal of Cesar Chavez Academy, Pueblo School District 60, discussed his background and the impact of his experiences on his education and career. He discussed the characteristics of successful schools that he has identified, including: a highly committee staff, a rigorous program, and a "no excuses" attitude toward student achievement. He emphasized the need for a commitment to public schools and its role in a democracy. Dr. Hernandez described what he views as a strong culture of success in a school, including a "healthy intrusiveness" into student life. Three core principles form the educational philosophy at Cesar Chavez Academy as described by Dr. Hernandez: more time "on task," or core classroom activity, a strong connection between curriculum and assessment, and a powerful system for responding to students with special needs.

08:12 AM

Dr. Hernandez continued his presentation by describing three issues or "gaps" impacting student achievement: a gap in expectations; a time gap, or not spending sufficient time on task; and a program gap, or insufficient attention to programs that have proven effective. He said he believes in the replication of successful models, including school choice. Another factor discussed by Dr. Hernandez was providing opportunities for early college access or entrance. Dr. Hernandez responded to questions about the preschool program at Cesar Chavez Academy. Dr. Hernandez further described his school's team approach to intervention for special education students. Parental involvement was discussed as another important factor in student success.

08:21 AM

Rich Jones, representing the Bell Policy Center, came to the table to discuss the Bell Policy Center's research on the achievement gap. He referred to research documents that were provided to committee members (Attachments A through M). He advocated for state policies that address families in the lower social and economic sectors of society, and emphasized advocacy efforts for preschool programs. Recruiting and retaining high quality teachers was raised as a crucial factor for addressing the achievement gap. He further stated that the Bell Policy Center supports an emphasis on reading and literacy. In concluding his comments, Mr. Jones indicated that high school reform and federal programs that support low-income students seeking to enter college should also be policy priorities.

08:29 AM

Van Schoales, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, discussed the Children's Campaign work on the achievement gap. He referred to individualized packets that had been distributed to members He advocated for greater transparency in the data on student achievement. Mr. Schoales used the latest data on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to describe the achievement gap in Colorado. He indicated that the Children's Campaign will be completing a report on the achievement gap in the near future and said that while no "silver bullet"exists, the campaign sees several efforts that can be supported to close the achievement gap. Early childhood education and secondary school reform were mentioned as critical policy issues. Initiatives for new school development were noted by Mr. Schoales as efforts that should be supported.

08:38 AM

Mr. Schoales responded to questions about options for students in districts with fewer resources. He also was asked about coordinating efforts to lobby federal officials on reform of the "No Child Left Behind Act." Mr. Schoales said that for some school districts, such as Mapleton School District, providing option or magnet schools has allowed these districts to retain students that might otherwise leave the district. Representative Merrifield commented on the use of data on school achievement and specifically data on graduation rates.

08:44 AM

The committee adjourned.