Keeping pace, but not catching up: The real achievement gap
Contact:
Liesl Wendt
Chalkboard Project
503.542.4325
liesl@chalkboardproject.org
Charles McGee
President and CEO
Black Parent Initiative
charles.mcgee@thebpi.org
503.806.5550
PORTLAND - February 25, 2009 -The academic achievement gap between Black and White students exists even before kids enter school according to a new report released today. The report also shows that students in the same schools tend to learn at the same pace, regardless of color and the achievement gap remains consistent through graduation. The Black Parent Initiative (BPI) commissioned the report, "A Deeper Look at the Black-White Achievement Gap in Multnomah County" with a grant from the Chalkboard Project.
"There has never been a more important time to ensure all Oregon students perform at a high level. We know having quality teachers in the classroom is one way to achieve this," said Sue Hildick, President, Chalkboard Project. "Working with a community based organization to understand the complexities of the achievement gap has taken our experience pairing research with community organizing to a new level."
The report shows a handful of Multnomah County Schools stand out for their progress, including: Shaver, Dexter, McCarty, Gray, Mt. Tabor, George, Grant, Hollydale, Hosford, Reynolds, and Sabin. "Research is an important step, however data alone will not help us close the achievement gap," said Charles McGee, Executive Director of the Black Parent Initiative, "It is critical that we take action now. Thankfully, several schools are on their way to making significant strides."
Few understand the sense of urgency like Venasha Williams, a former student at POIC/Rosemary Anderson High School, now a student at Portland Community College. "They [Rosemary Anderson teachers] always tried to inspire you," Venasha said. "Not a lot of people get that in their lives. They were always trying to push us to do better. You could tell they cared. I hope all students can get the same experience," she added. "They might not all listen or change their lives, but I hope they can all be inspired."
The United Way of the Columbia-Willamette responded to the findings with a grant to organize the community's response to the achievement gap. The grant will provide funding for BPI to create a community coalition, convened with the Portland Schools Foundation. The coalition will develop multiple strategies to address the gap, investigate best practices locally and nationally and organize the community to action.
"It is essential that we support programs that will increase the graduation rate and close the educational gap," said Marc Levy, CEO and President of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette. "After all, education is the gateway to being prepared for the living wage jobs of the future and for our community to have the workforce that attracts thriving and growing businesses."
The achievement gap coalition will be led by Jackie Dingfielder, State Senator (District 23); Jeff Cogen, Multnomah County Commissioner; Lolenzo Poe, former PPS School Board member; and Preston Pulliams, PCC President. The coalition will investigate early learning strategies, support for quality educators and the impact of poverty on the achievement gap as they develop recommendations. Community organizations are invited to join by logging onto: www.thebpi.org. Recommendations will be complete by December 2009.
Today's report provides a data-driven look at the condition of Portland's Black students in six Multnomah County school districts: Centennial, David Douglas, Gresham-Barlow, Parkrose, Portland and Reynolds.
Key findings:
1) Early learning: The gap between Black and White students exists even before kids enter school. Once in school, the gap generally stays the same over time. Black students tend to stay about 1.5 grades behind their White peers.
2) On the move: For all grades, Black students move more often than White students from one year to the next. By high school, Blacks are nearly twice as likely to change schools as Whites.
3) Income and the achievement gap: 79% of Black students are economically disadvantaged. Once income is considered, 40% of the gap disappears.
4) Teacher turnover: Black students are more likely to attend schools with high rates of teacher turnover than White students. Turnover is particularly pronounced in the middle grades where Black students have a 27% chance of having a teacher who is new to their school, compared to 17% for White students.
In response to the report, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Carole Smith said: "As a school district, it's our job to help every single child succeed. This study challenges us to focus our efforts to close the achievement gap, learn from the schools that are producing measurable gains and to strengthen our partnership with community organizations like BPI who are working to support students and families."
ECONorthwest conducted the analysis for the report using data from the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). View the full report at: www.chalkboardproject.org. Faubion School in northeast Portland served as the host for today's announcements.
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About Chalkboard Project
Launched in early 2004, Chalkboard Project exists to inspire Oregonians to do what it takes to make the state's K-12 public schools among the nation's best, while strengthening our school system's financial accountability to taxpayers. Chalkboard aims to help create a more informed and engaged public, and to enable statewide programs that can be applied at the local level to improve school quality, accountability, and funding. It also has partnered with other education organizations to create the Open Books Web site to track school district spending, student achievement data, details on teachers and the community are all available and easier to get, understand and compare than ever. Visit the new Open Books Project website, www.openbooksproject.org.
For more information about Chalkboard and to learn how to get involved, call (877) YOUR-K12 or visit www.chalkboardproject.org.
About Black Parent Initiative
The Black Parent Initiative is a community-based organization developed over two years ago, to address the significant and longstanding educational and life challenges facing Black students in Portland area School Districts. Using innovative partnerships with predominate Black churches, BPI is creating and enhancing systems to provide stronger supports for Black children and young people in their journey to access a quality, world-class education by:
• Providing parents and extended families with the needed tools and support systems in a relational and culturally specific manner.
• Collaborating with universities, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies and churches to create and enhance systems of support for children and young people as they work to access a solid educational foundation for their futures.
• Creating a framework of strategic, high-leverage initiatives based on best practices in hopes of accelerating the success of families and young people.
Currently BPI has three programs; School Based Parent Advocates, working in two elementary schools to support Black parents, Early Childhood Parent Advocate, working to support Black families navigate through the Multnomah County Educational Service District, a Community and Faith Organizer, who works to organize and mobilize Multnomah County’s Black population around educational issues. BPI hopes to launch Parent University later this year, which will provide parents with the specific tools needed to transform their family’s lives.
For more information about the Black Parent Initiative please visit our website: www.thebpi.org or call (503) 284-8000.
About United Way of the Columbia-Willamette
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is working to advance the common good in the four-county Portland/Vancouver area by focusing on the basics we all need for success: education, income, and health. We all win when children succeed in school, families are financially stable and independent, and people have good health. Our goal is to create long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening in the first place. By working together we can create opportunities for a better life and create a stronger community. That's what it means to LIVE UNITED. Learn more at http://www.unitedway-pdx.org
About Portland Schools Foundation
Created in 1995, the Portland Schools Foundation is an independent, community-based organization that mobilizes the leadership, ideas, political support, and money to ensure a world-class public education for every child, in every school, in every Portland neighborhood. PSF serves as a convener and independent voice for school-based issues in the region, keeping the community focused on K-12 education by strengthening and supporting public schools throughout Portland's five school districts. Core PSF programs include: Connected by 25/Ninth Grade Counts; Local Schools Foundations and the Equity Fund; Principal for a Day; and Sponsored Projects.
