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Perspectives on Public Education for Poor Students and Students of Color

Suzanne AdairMarch 26, 2003

Information provided by the Education Trust

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The Myth:

College isn’t for everyone

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Most High School Grads Go On To Postsecondary Within 2 YearsEntered Public 2-Year Colleges

26%

Entered 4-Year Colleges 45%

Other Postsecondary 4%

Total 75%

Source: NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third (1994) Follow up; in, USDOE, NCES, “Access to Postsecondary Education for the 1992 High School Graduates”, 1998, Table 2.

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Even Low Achieving Grads Go On To PostsecondaryHigh School

Achievement Level% Entering

PostsecondaryLow 49%

Middle 71%

High 91%

Overall 72%

Source: NELS: 88, Second (1992) and Third Follow up (1994); in, USDOE, NCES, Condition of Education 1997, p. 64

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Of Every 100 White Kindergartners:

93 Graduate from High School

65 Complete at Least Some College

32 Obtain at Least a Bachelor’s Degree

(24 Year-Olds)

Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

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Of Every 100 African American Kindergartners:

87 Graduate from High School

51 Complete at Least Some College

17 Obtain at Least a Bachelor’s Degree

(24 Year-Olds)Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

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Of Every 100 Latino Kindergartners:63 Graduate from High

School

32 Complete at Least Some College

11 Obtain at Least a Bachelor’s Degree

(24 Year-Olds)Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States; March 2000, Detailed Tables No. 2

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College Graduates by Age 24

Young People FromHigh Income Families

48%

Young People FromLow Income Families

7%

Source: Tom Mortenson, Research Seminar on Public Policy Analysis of Opportunity for Post Secondary, 1997.

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African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Read at Same Levels as

White 13 Year Olds

Source: Source: NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends Summary Tables (online)

0%

100%

150 200 250 300 350

White 8th Graders African American 12th GradersLatino 12th Graders

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African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Do Math at Same Levels

As White 13 Year Olds

0%

100%

200 250 300 350

White 8th Graders African American 12th GradersLatino 12th Graders

Source: NAEP 1999 Long Term Trends Summary Tables (online)

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Why is there an achievement gap?

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Why?What We Hear Adults Say:

• They’re poor;• Their parents don’t care;• They come to schools without breakfast; • Not enough books• Not enough parents . . .

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What We Hear Students Say:We CAN Learn, But…

• some teachers don’t know their subjects• counselors underestimate our potential• principals dismiss concerns• curriculum and expectations are low

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Within School Effects:• Curriculum/Opportunity

• Expectations

• Teacher Quality

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Grade 10 Writing AssignmentA frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. From literature you have read, select a character who struggled with society. In a well-developed essay, identify the character and explain why this character’s conflict with society is important.

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Grade 10 Writing AssignmentWrite a composition of at least 4 paragraphs on Martin Luther King’s most important contribution to this society. Illustrate your work with a neat cover page. Neatness counts.

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African American and Latino 10th Graders Less Likely to be Enrolled in a College

Preparatory Track

Source: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Education Longitudinal Study of 1998, “First Follow-Up Student Study.”

42.1

22.625.7

34.1

0

45

Asian Latino African American White

Race/Ethnicity

1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

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28.3

48.8

65.1

20

70

Low Medium HighSocio-Economic Status

Perc

ent E

nrol

led

Low-Income Students Less Likely to be Enrolled in a College Preparatory Track

Source: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988: Second Follow-Up, 1992 in: A Profile of the American High School Senior in 1992.( p. 36) Washington, DC: US Department of Education, June 1995.

1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

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Poor and Minority Students Get More Inexperienced* Teachers

20%

11%

21%

10%

0%

25%

High-poverty schools Low-poverty schoolsHigh-minority schools Low-minority schools

*Teachers with 3 or fewer years of experience. “High” and “low” refer to top and bottom quartiles.Source: National Center for Education Statistics, “Monitoring Quality: An Indicators Report,” December 2000.

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Classes in High Poverty High Schools More Often Taught by

Misassigned* Teachers

28%

14%19%

16%

40%

20%

31%

18%

0%

50%

Math Science English Social Studies

less than 20% Free Lunch greater than 49% Free Lunch

*Teachers who lack a major or minor in the fieldSource: National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, What Matters Most: Teaching for America’s Future (p.16) 1996.

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Students in Low Track Classes Are More Often Taught by Underqualified Teachers

51.1%55.1%

43.0%

66.8%

20.4%

33.5%

11.2%

24.7%

0%

70%

History Physical Science Math English

High-TrackLow-Track

Source: Ingersoll, The Problem of Underqualified Teachers in American Secondary Schools Educational Researcher, Vol. 28, No 2 (March 1999) pp. 26-37

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Why These Factors Matter?

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Mount Royal Elementary/Middle,

Baltimore, MD• 99% African American• 73% Low-Income• Highest Performing in State on the

state’s 5th grade Math test.

MAR

YLAN

D

* or tied

24Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables

African Americans in Texas Write as Well or Better Than

Whites in 7 States

140

143

145

146

146

146

146

146

136 138 140 142 144 146 148

Hawaii

Arkansas

West Virginia

Utah

Missouri

Mississippi

Louisiana

Texas

NAEP Grade 8 Writing 1998

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A Rigorous Math Curriculum Improves Scores For All Students

240

360

Pre-Algebra orGeneral Math

Algebra I Geometry Algebra II Precalculus orCalculus

African American Latino WhiteSource: National Assessment of Educational Progress, 1992 Mathematics Trend Assessment, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1992 Trends in Academic Progress (p 113). Washington, DC: US Department of Education. 1994

1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

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Vocational Students Taking High-Level English Courses

Score Higher

% Taking High-Level English

ReadingScores

1996 28 283

1998 43 292

Source: Bottoms, Gene. “High Schools That Work”, SREB, .

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1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.

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A Strong H.S. Curriculum* Equals Higher College

Completion

45%

75%61%

79%73%86%

0%

100%

All college entrants Entrants who had strong h.s.curriculum

African American Latino White

*Completing at least “Algebra II” plus other courses.Source: Adapted from Adelman, Clifford, U.S. Department of Education, “Answers in the Toolbox,” 1999.

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Role of Future Educators

• Analyze and share data• Raise questions about district/school

policies• Serve as a voice for all students• Maintain high expectations/encourage

students to aim higher