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Impact of the no child left behind act
Review of the no child left behind act
Review of the no child left behind act
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The achievement gap in education is the difference in academic performance between groups of students. The achievement gap is most commonly found in grades, test scores, course selection, and dropout rates both in high school and college. It is most often used to describe the troubling performance gaps between African-Americans, Hispanic students, and their Caucasians counterparts. It also measures the academic difference between students from low-income families and those who are better off. In the past fourteen years, policymakers have begun to focus their attention on how to reduce the achievement gap.
After passing the “No Child Left Behind” Act, closing the achievement gap has become a focus of the educational system. This in turn meant school districts were required to disaggregate data to compare student performance according to their subgroup. This new method reveals a greater awareness of racial disparities and other sources contributing to the achievement gap. This newly found attention has led to more interventions for different groups of students. Unfortunately, over the past fourteen years these “interventions” have failed to close the gap.
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While the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) results show that African-Americans and Hispanic students have made great strides improving academic performance, however, these gains have had limited impact in closing the achievement gap as opposed to their Caucasian counterparts.
For example, a study by the National Center for Education between 2009 and 2011 showed that African-Americans and Hispanic students trailed their Caucasian peers by an average of more than twenty points on the NAEP math and reading assessments. That point differential is a difference of about two grade levels. These gaps continued even though the score differentials between African-American and Caucasian students have shrunk between 1992 and 2007 in math and reading (NCES, 2009,
2011). Differences between student’s backgrounds have been evident in graduation rates and college success statistics. Changes in the federal regulations toward education have required school districts to be accountable for the graduation rates of students in different socioeconomic groups. According to Editorial Projects in Education Research Center’s annual Diplomas Count report, while each major racial and ethnic group had more students graduate as of the class of 2008, massive gaps remained between different groups of students. While 82.7 percent of Asian students and 78.4 percent of Caucasian students in the class of 2008 graduated on time, that was the case for only 57.6 percent of Hispanic, 57 percent of African-American and 53.9 percent of American Indian students. Likewise, only 68 percent of male students graduated on time in 2008, compared with 75 percent of female students. Over the long term, only about one half of male students from minority backgrounds graduate on time (Education Week, 2011). Under President Barack Obama’s Administration, the U.S. Department of Education also stepped up attention on gender and racial gaps in students’ college enrollment and success rates, toward a goal that the United States will lead the world in college graduates by 2020. According to the American Council on Education’s 24th annual status report on minorities in higher education, as of 2008, 38 percent of Americans age 25-34 had earned at least an associate degree, while only 26 percent of African-Americans ages 25-37 obtained a two-year degree and 18 percent of Hispanics 25- to 34-year olds. Moreover, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that as of 2010, 36 percent of women ages 25 to 29 held a bachelor’s degree or better versus only 28 percent of men in the same age group. Achievement disparities are often attributed to socioeconomic factors. According to 2009 data from the Census Bureau, of all children younger than 18 living in families, 15.5 million live in poverty, defined as a family of four with less than $21,947 per year. This includes 4.9 million, or about 10 percent, of non-Hispanic white children, and one in three black and Hispanic children, at 4 million and 5.6 million, respectively (Annie
In just about every age group and in every subject, the test-score gap between white and African-American students has grown since 1986, reversing a trend in which the discrepancies decreased from the time the exams were first given in 1969, 1971, and 1973. Since the mid-1980s, gaps in several subjects and age groups have grown by statistically significant amounts.
The achievement gap is defined as the disparity between the performance groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, ability and socio-economic status. The achievement gap can be observed through a variety of measures including standardized test scores, grade point averages, drop out rates, college enrollment and completion rates. The Black-White achievement gap is a critical issue in modern society’s education system. Although data surrounding the issue clearly indicates that the racial performance gap exists in areas of standardized tests, graduation rates, dropout rates, and enrollment in continuing education, the causative reasons for the gap are ambiguous—therefore presenting a significant challenge in regard to the most effective way to close the gap. The gap appears before children enter kindergarten and it persists into adulthood (Jencks 1998). Since 1970, the gap has decreased about 40 percent, but has steadily grown since. Theories suggest the Black-White achievement gap is created by a multitude of social, cultural, and economic factors as well as educational opportunities and/or learning experiences. Factors such as biased testing, discrimination by teachers, test anxiety among black students, disparities between blacks and whites in income or family structure, and genetic and cultural differences between blacks and whites have all been evaluated as explanations for the Black-White achievement gap (Farkas 2004). The research that follows will elaborate on these factors as they affect the decline in academic performance of black males—particularly the literacy achievement of black males.
Achievement gaps in schools across America impinge on racial-ethnic and socioeconomic status groups. For generations school systems focus on improving the achievement gaps for low-income and minority students. Statistics have provided evidenced that the school systems made enormous progress between 1970 and 1988, but came to a halt thereafter. Presently in the 20th century the gap has widened and the need for improvement is challenging for the school administr...
Today's education is often viewed as failing in its goal of educating students, especially those students characterized as minorities, including African American, Hispanic, and Appalachian students (Quiroz, 1999). Among the minority groups mentioned, African American males are affected most adversely. Research has shown that when Black male students are compared to other students by gender and race they consistently rank lowest in academic achievement (Ogbu, 2003), have the worst attendance record (Voelkle, 1999), are suspended and expelled the most often (Raffaele Mendez, 2003; Staples, 1982), are most likely to drop out of school, and most often fail to graduate from high school or to earn a GED (Pinkney, 2000; Roderick, 2003).
The first issue that has been identified as a significant problem involved in the Achievement gap, is that it is partially the fault of America's educational system. Because of the suffering economy that has spurred the increasing lack of basic necessities in schools across America, there are an increasing number of children who are not being properly educated. Whether it is a deficiency in supplies, poor teacher selection, or administration and staff who are indifferent to the students at their sch...
America’s school system and student population remains segregated, by race and class. The inequalities that exist in schools today result from more than just poorly managed schools; they reflect the racial and socioeconomic inequities of society as a whole. Most of the problems of schools boil down to either racism in and outside the school or financial disparity between wealthy and poor school districts. Because schools receive funding through local property taxes, low-income communities start at an economic disadvantage. Less funding means fewer resources, lower quality instruction and curricula, and little to no community involvement. Even when low-income schools manage to find adequate funding, the money doesn’t solve all the school’s problems. Most important, money cannot influence student, parent, teacher, and administrator perceptions of class and race. Nor can money improve test scores and make education relevant and practical in the lives of minority students.
Conflict theory and Symbolic Interactionalism provide a useful guide to understanding the complexities of the achievement gap. The simultaneous inspection at the macro and micro level may provide interesting perceptions of the project at hand. The debate is ongoing, and research continues to unearth simalarities found in the data. As the debate continues, it is important to remember that the achievement gap has been an enduring problem for decades and will not be solved overnight.
In her editorial, Achievement Gap (2011), Susan Ansell claims that the major educational gap between black and white students is due to lack of parental involvement and influence by the community. She supports this claim first, by analyzing that, “One in three black and hispanic children,” live in poverty; second, by analyzing the lack of parental involvement due to, “Being raised in a low-income family;” lastly, by showing the effects of living in low ranking school districts. Her purpose is simply to educate readers that this educational gap is caused by influence from the negative community impacts. Although her work seems contradicting, Ansell is able to establish a connection with readers who are trying to better their communities.
The controversial part is that he doesn't show that this gap really happens because black people have been oppressed for a long period of time, and until the last one hundred years (or less) they have been able to develop culturally and economically, so they have a economic deficiency that prevents black people from getting the best education possible. In the other hand, white people have an economic advantage so their kids get a better education and a higher chance to get a better score. Also, this deficiency changes the priorities of a black kid, because he is going to be more interested in going to a technical school or community college so that he can be able to start working faster and help to maintain the family.
It is obvious that for several years, policy makers in the United States have sought means to discourse the racial attainment gap within the K-12 education (Atkinson, 2010). In spite of the enormous steps in education expenditure at the federal government and national level, the role of the government in education and achievement of national academic levels have remained stagnant. However, the steps made by Florida state shows that black and Hispanic students are now outscoring several reading average for overall students
Racial differences in schooling outcomes begin with the simplest measure of success: years of schooling. In 2013, 91 percent of Whites, in contrast to 83 percent of Blacks and only 60 percent of Hispanics (over 25 years of age) had at least a high school degree. The number of adult Americans with higher degrees followed a similar pattern; “only 19 percent of Blacks and 13 percent of Hispanic...
The means of justifying these inequalities are important for the entire world. Education played and will always play a big role in everyone’s lives. Equality in education will eventually guarantee every person a better position in society. Educational inequality is the difference in learning effectiveness and results as faced by students with varying backgrounds. The effects of educational inequality are not only left within the circles of education, but also remain further to have an impact on other life aspects. All over the world, there have been unending calls to reform education at each level. With various causes that are very much connected to society, history and culture, the educational inequality has apparently been one of the most difficult challenges to address. Regardless of the challenges faced in removing educational inequality, education has continued to be a very important part of society with a big expectation of moving it forward. In the current-day America, very many disadvantaged children have continued to grow up missing key skills. Discrimination has continued to persevere in educational achievement between racial issues. Above all, low performance levels among these disadvantaged children have over the years been responsible for the long-term issues, especially in such an society with higher levels of skills and a failing incomes offered to those people that are less-skilled.
The enactment of standardizes testing given to students to measure their academic abilities and supposedly will close achievement gap only prove that the battle to the end achievement gap between racial groups is a failure. Buchanon elucidate statistics of the results from the national test under the “No Child Left Behind” program to infer that there is a huge gap between white students and black students (par. 19). On the same note, New Yorks state test scores reveals a large imbalance in academics between different racial groups (par. 16)
In society, education can be seen as a foundation for success. Education prepares people for their careers and allows them to contribute to society efficiently. However, there is an achievement gap in education, especially between Hispanics and Blacks. In other words, there is education inequality between these minorities and white students. This achievement gap is a social problem in the education system since this is affecting many schools in the United States. As a response to this social problem, the No Child Left Behind Act was passed to assist in closing this achievement gap by holding schools more accountable for the students’ progress. Unsuccessful, the No Child Left Behind Act was ineffective as a social response since schools were pushed to produce high test scores in order to show a student’s academic progress which in turn, pressured teachers and students even more to do well on these tests.
Many people believe that “having an economy that places a greater value on skills and education is a good thing” and that is the thing that is needed to improve people’s lives and futures (Baicker, Lazear). If what our economy is trying to do a good thing they why are so many students still suffering? The main issues are the low-income education that many students have. Many schools are getting money from the government but that is not enough to pay for everything students need. Educational standards have continued to increase throughout the years but that does not help the students who are unable to pay for the better education. These students who cannot pay for the better education are stuck barely getting by with a low education. A low-education can affect many areas of regular schooling. The students who are at low-income schools do not know what type of disadvantage they have compared to other students across the country. These students believe that they are getting the best education, but there are many students who are getting a better education at a school that has the funds to pay for everything their students need. Low-income students are suffering due to the environment they are in at school and they continue to suffer throughout their life due to it. These students will continue to suffer unless something is done about the low-income schools and improve them for the future. Improvement has to come from all areas, not just one aspect of schooling but from all aspects. Although education has improved along with technology many low-income students still suffer from the vast inequalities. These inequalities will take many years to find a way to fix and even more years to actually fix, until this happens the students will...