Benjamin Leung
Research and Composition - R3
Magistra Glaser
January 17, 2017
Research Question: In what ways and to what extent do the differences in income between socioeconomic classes influence the achievement gap between students in America?
Describe the achievement gap between students in America
Background information of the achievement gap.
The Glossary of Education Reform defines the achievement gap as “any significant and persistent disparity in academic performance or educational attainment between different groups of students” (“Achievement Gap Definition”).
Although there are many indicators of the achievement gap, The Glossary of Education Reform says that the large differences in standardized test scores is often
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A longitudinal study conducted by Ronald Ferguson, an economist who focuses on the achievement gap, is included in a video lecture. In this study, he discovered that people who do not have fundamental math and reading skills or do not have a college education have received “25 percent” less income since the 1970’s (“The Achievement Gap: Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson”).
Ferguson continues describing the results of his study by saying that there are not many jobs available to people who do not have basic skills. Instead, the jobs that are available to them are either taken by machines, low paying, or overseas (“The Achievement Gap: Dr. Ronald F. Ferguson”).
Demonstrate how differences in income between socioeconomic classes influence the achievement gap between students in America
Statistical information concerning the achievement of students in families above and below the poverty line.
In 1997, Smith, Brooks-Gunn, and Klebanov conducted a study using data from the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the Infant Health and Development Program. They found that the poorest children scored “6-13” points lower on various tests (Blazer and Romanik).
In 2002, Lee and Burkam conducted a study using 1600 5 and 6 year olds. The results showed that math scores were “60 percent” lower than richer classes and that english scores were lower by “56 percent” (Blazer and Romanik).
Literature review describing the lack of enrichment program opportunities due
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
The data is compared to those students come from affluent socioeconomic status and backgrounds. The data is sourced from several diverse locations in order to give the broadest view of the disparities that exist. Howard (2010) compares data in reading, mathematics, SAT results and disciplinary rates. This data is a formidable beginning to the content of the book because it provides context for the reader to better understand the achievement gap.
The “achievement gap” in education refers to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students. The achievement gap is shown in grades, standardized-test scores, course selection, dropout rates, among other success measures. It’s most often used to describe the troubling performance gaps between African-American and latino students, towards the lower end of the performance scale, compared to their white peers, and the similar academic differences between students from low-income families and those who are privileged. In the past decade, scholars and policy makers began focusing their attention on other achievement gaps, such as those based on sex, English language and learning disabilities.
The achievement gap is often described as the academic discrepancy in the test scores of minority and other low-income students and the test scores in their White and Asian peers. However the gap in scores affect many different groups across many different walks of life in America. Different groups may trail behind their peers at different points in their academic careers. Classic examples are boys in their early years of schooling and girls in high school math and sciences. The differences between students from various backgrounds are more apparent on the large-scale standardized tests. The gaps in test scores more than often lead to longer-term gaps, including high school and college completion and even in the kinds of jobs these
Gamoran, A. (2007). Standards – Based Reform and The Poverty Gap: Lessons for No Child Left Behind. Brookings Institution Press.
The National Assessment for Educational Progress (2015) reported that there is an academic achievement gap between black and white students. The academic achievement gap refers to the statistical difference between the scores of students with different backgrounds such as: race/ethnicity, gender disability and income. The long-term result of the achievement gap is there is a gap in high school and college completion and job placement. Strategies to close the academic achievement gap are still being explored and smaller class sizes could be a solution.
The achievement gap in students traditionally is determined through test scores or other measurements that are defined through some sort of measurable academic achievement. Educators hammer down test taking strategies to students in preparation for end of course stage mandated assessment that when it is all said and done the students are tired of the test before it is even administered. Student achievement should be measured based on student growth and academic growth should not be the only thing educators should emphasize during the school year. Students need to character growth is a way to decrease the achievement gap and if the student improves their character then the achievement gap will be decreased through building students up from the inside out.
Many research show that students’ socioeconomic status is an important indicator to students’ achievement in school. In the 2000s, poverty rates increased in the United States. In the late 2000s, 17.3 percent of the U.S.
This also reflects in the secondary education where students from a high socioeconomic background will tend to outperform their counterparts coming from a lower socioeconomic background (Ballantine and Spade, 2008).
classes. Other factors that influence inequality within different income groups are differences in taxes to fund schools, teacher retention and recruitment, and administrative resources. Furthermore, low-income students are more likely to struggle in overcoming educational barriers due
The socioeconomic status of a child greatly affects their school performance. Therefore, the ever-growing poverty among children of all races in our country is an important contemporary issue to
Low Income Equals Low Academic Achievement Some may not want to believe that the world revolves around money, but it does. Goals in life cannot be taken anywhere without money. Money is the most important thing when it comes to quality education. The children from low income families academic performance is highly affected. Low income families struggle with educating their children. Income and wealth can affect educational outcomes in a number of ways. Income has a direct impact on the affordability and accessibility of those educational services which charge fees or if transport and other costs are significant.Low-income students as a group have performed than high-income students on most measures of academic success (Jensen). Family income level affects academic performance.
The term “achievement gap” refers to the difference in academic performance and education attainment among students. More specifically, it describes how “white students and students from wealthy, well-educated families have consistently
Diane Ravitch, the author of “The Facts About the Achievement Gap” has proven through research that the achievement gap is caused by ethnicity, family history, and economic background which makes it nearly impossible to close the gap completely. Due to the fact that the achievement gap forms before education begins, it is extremely difficult to eliminate the gap. Not only is this a factor, but another reason to why the achievement gap persists
America has always possessed a problem with the education gap. Forty years ago that gap split races, but now it separates economic classes. Students from low income and less educated families are falling behind other kids even before their first day of schooling. According to a New York Times article, “On the day they start kindergarten, children from families of low socioeconomic status are already more than a year behind the children of college graduates in their grasp of both reading and math. Nine years later the achievement gap, on average, will have widened by somewhere from one-half to two-thirds. Even the best performers from disadvantaged backgrounds, who enter kindergarten reading as well as the smartest rich kids,