GOOD TEACHING MATTERS: Strategies for Improving Achievement And Closing Gaps Between Groups Prepared for the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors by The Education Trust, 2003
Mar 17, 2016
GOOD TEACHING MATTERS:Strategies for Improving Achievement And Closing Gaps Between
Groups
Prepared for the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors
by The Education Trust, 2003
Achievement in America: Key Facts on Where We Are Now
Where Are We Now?4th Grade Reading, All Students, 1998
All
39
32
29
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
Where Are We Now? 8th Grade Mathematics All Students
2000
35
38
26
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Prof/AdvBasicBelow Basic
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
Underneath those nation-wide figures, there are gaps of all
sorts…including gaps among states
Differences Among States: Grade 4 Reading
46
10
05
101520253035404550
Highest State Lowest State
Proficient or Above
Today’s Focus:Examining Performance of Key Racial and Economic Groups
By Race, Ethnicity 4th Grade Reading 1998
65 62 55
28 34
26 26 33
3432
9 12 12
38 34
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Latino Native White Asian
Prof/AdvBasicBelow Basic
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
By Family Income4th Grade 1998
58
22
29
33
13
39
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Poor Not Poor
Prof/AdvBasicBelow Basic
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
NAEP 8th Grade Mathematics 2000
68 6050
23 25
2731
38
43 35
5 9 1234 40
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Latino Native White Asian
Prof/AdvBasicBelow Basic
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
NAEP 8th Grade Math Performance 2000
56
24
34
41
10
35
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Poor Not Poor
Prof/AdvBasicBelow Basic
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
Progress over time?
During seventies and eighties we made a lot of progress, but that progressed
stopped by 1990.
Gaps Narrow, Then Mostly Widen NAEP Reading,
17 Year-Olds
200
300
1971 1975 1980 1984 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999
Ave
rage
Rea
ding
NA
EP
Scor
e
African American Latino WhiteSource: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress (p. 107) Washington, DC: US Department of Education, August 2000
Gaps Narrow, Then Hold Steady or Widen: NAEP Math Scores, 13 Year-Olds
200
220
240
260
280
300
1973 1978 1982 1986 1990 1992 1994 1996 1999
Ave
rage
Sca
le S
core
African American Latino WhiteSource: US Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress (p. 108) Washington, DC: US Department of Education, August 2000
By End of High School?
Too Few 17 Year-Olds Demonstrate
Strong Reading SkillsAfrican
AmericanLatino White
Learn from SpecializedMaterials
1% 2% 8%
Understand ComplicatedInformation
17 24 46
Partial Skills 66 68 87
Make Generalizations 95 97 98
Source: USDOE, NCES, 1999 NAEP Summary Data Tables
Too Few 17 Year-Olds Demonstrate
Strong Math SkillsAfrican
AmericanLatino White
Multi-Step ProblemSolving
1% 3% 10%
Moderately ComplexProcedures
27 38 70
Numerical Operations 89 94 99
Source: USDOE, NCES, 1999 NAEP Summary Data Tables
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)
African American and Latino 17 Year Olds Read at Same Levels as White 13
Year Olds
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
Not Surprisingly, These Same Patterns Evident in High School
Graduation
Students Graduate From High School At Different Rates, 1998
Source: US Bureau of Census, Current Population Reports, Educational Attainment in the United States: March 1998 (p. 20-513), Detailed Tables No. 2
81%94%
63%
90%
0%
100%
(18-24 Year-Olds)
African American Asian Latino White
Despite Poor Preparation, Most Graduates Will Go Immediately
On To College
IMMEDIATE COLLEGE-GOING GROWING
49 5055
6065 63
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 1999
TOTAL
Within 2 Years of HS Graduation?
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.
Unfortunately, About Half of these Students Must Take Remedial
Coursework…
and Many Do Not Even Make it to the Sophomore Year
College Freshmen Not Returning for Sophomore Year
4 year Colleges 26%2 year Colleges 45%
Source: Tom Mortensen, Postsecondary Opportunity, No. 89, November 1999
Result: Gains In College Completion Are Not
Proportionate With Gains In College Attendance
College Going vs. Completion of BA or Higher, Whites
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
White College-Going White Completion
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, October Current Population Surveys, 1972-2000, in US DOE, NCES, The Condition of Education 2002, p.166 and 174.
19
10
College Going vs. Completion of BA or Higher, Blacks
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Black BlackCompletion
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, October Current Population Surveys, 1972-2000, in US DOE, NCES, The Condition of Education 2002, p.166 and 174.
21
7
College Going vs. Completion of BA or Higher, Hispanics
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Hispanic Hispanic Completion
Source: US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Census, October Current Population Surveys, 1972-2000, in US DOE, NCES, The Condition of Education 2002, p.166 and 174.
ADD IT ALL UP...
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
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
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
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.
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 . . .
But if they’re right, then why are poor and minority children performing so high in...
Some schools...
Wrigley Elementary
• 78% Low-Income• 3rd Highest Performing in State in
Reading• 6th Highest Performing in State in
WritingKENT
UCKY
Sources: Kentucky Department of Education Web site, http://www.kde.state.ky.us/
Mount Royal Elementary/Middle,
Baltimore, MD• 99% African American• 73% Low-Income• Highest Performing in State on state’s
5th grade Math test. • Top 10% of state in 5th grade reading. MAR
YLAN
D
* or tiedSources: Maryland Department of Education Web site, http://www.msde.state.md.us/
Pimlico Elementary, Baltimore, MD
• 100% African American
• 94% Low-Income
• Top 1% in improvement on the state’s 5th grade Math test.
Marylan
d Improvement
28 31
53
77
0
100
Percent Satisfactory
1997 1998 1999 2000Sources: Maryland Department of Education Web site, http://www.msde.state.md.us/
Prince Edward County High, Farmville VA
12%
44%
74%
92%
71% 78%
40%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Pass
ing
stat
e A
lgeb
ra I
test
Prince Edward High State Average
Sources: Virginia Department of Education Web site, http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/2002SOLpassrates.html.
(715 students – 55% African American and Latino)
Dis
pelli
ng th
e M
yth
Dis
pelli
ng th
e M
yth
Dis
pelli
ng th
e M
yth
Some districts...
Aldine, TX: Raising Achievement for All While Narrowing Gaps
42%
55%
72%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1994
Pass
ing
TAA
S m
ath
test
African American Latino White
Source: Texas Education Agency-Academic Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through 2001.
Aldine, TX: Raising Achievement for All While Narrowing Gaps
42%
89%
55%
94%96%
72%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Pass
ing
TAA
S m
ath
test
African American Latino White
Source: Texas Education Agency-Academic Excellence Indicator System Report 1994 through 2001.
And some entire states...
4th Grade Math African American Gains Between
1992 and 2000United States +13
North Carolina +25
Texas +21
Indiana +20Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
4th Grade Math Latino Gains Between 1992 and
2000United States +10
North Carolina +18
Texas +15
Mississippi +15Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
North Carolina: Gains in Grade 4 Reading Outpace the Nation, 1992-
1998UnitedStates
NorthCarolina
Overall +0 +5African American +1 +6Latino -4 +4White +2 +6
Source: NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress
Connecticut: Gains in Grade 4 Reading Outpace the Nation, 1994-
98
6
15
15
2
7
7
0 5 10 15
White Gain
Latino Gain
AfricanAmerican
Gain
Change in Average Score
United StatesConnecticut
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Summary Data Tables
Differences among states so large that minority and/or poor students in
some states outperforming white and/or non-poor students in others.
8th Grade Writing: African Americans in Texas Perform 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 1998Source: NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress
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
Where’s Louisiana in All This?
NAEP MATH:Louisiana 4th Graders (2000)
6555
24
2038
53
2 722
0 0 1
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Hispanic White
Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced
NAEP 4th Grade Math: LA (1992-2000)
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
1992 1996 2000
BlackHispanicWhite
LA: NAEP Grade 4 Math
• LA students made third biggest growth in country;
• Growth for every student group--Whites, Blacks and Hispanics--exceeded national growth;
• In 2000, performance of each group of students not much different than national average.
NAEP MATH:Louisiana 8th Graders (2000)
78 74
29
20 22
50
2 419
0 0 1
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Hispanic White
Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced
NAEP 8th Grade Math: LA (1992-2000)
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
1992 1996 2000
BlackHispanicWhite
LA: NAEP Grade 8 Math
• Ninth in growth overall;• Growth for all groups exceeded national
growth for that group;• Gap widened somewhat;• Performance for each group significantly
below national average.
NAEP READING:Louisiana 4th Graders (1998)
75 72
31
19 19
38
5 825
1 1 6
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Hispanic White
Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced
NAEP READING:Louisiana 8th Graders (1998)
55 58
20
39 31
54
6 1125
0 0 1
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
Black Hispanic White
Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced
NAEP READING OVER TIME: LA
• Trends headed down for minorities;• Fourth grade more serious problems;• PERFECT TIME FOR YOUR NEW
READING INITIATIVE!
LA: A Look at the Education “Pipeline”
8th Graders
HS Grads
College Frosh
College Grads
Black 42.6% 39% 31.7% 23.7%
White 54.7 57.8 62.4 68.5
Changing These Patterns: What Do We Know About The Places that are Improving Results?
Four Key Elements:
• clear, high goals and consistent instructional approaches;
• all students in curriculum lined up with those goals;
• students who arrive behind get extra instruction...
But most of all, they understand that:
Good Teaching Matters More Than Anything Else
SEE FOR YOURSELF
Boston Students with Effective Teachers Showed Greater Gains
in Reading and Math
0.3
14.6
5.6
-0.6
-1
4
9
14
19
Math Reading
Ave
rage
Stu
dent
Gro
wth
O
ver O
ne Y
ear
Least Effective Teachers Most Effective Teachers
Source: Boston Public Schools, “High School Restructuring,” March 9, 1998.
1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
1998 by The Education Trust, Inc.
Teachers Matter Big Time!
Problem: Teachers Not Evenly Distributed Across Different
Schools, Kids
Virtually every high poverty school has some spectacularly
wonderful teachers, but...
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.
Math and Science Classes of Mostly Minority Students Are More Often Taught by
Misassigned Teachers
54%
86%
42%
69%
0%
100%
90-100% Non-White 90-100% White
Certified in Field BA or BS in FieldSource: Jeannie Oakes. Multiplying Inequalities: The Effects of Race, Social Class, and Tracking on Opportunities to Learn Mathematics and Science (Rand: 1990)
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.
High-Poverty Schools Get More Low-Scoring* Teachers
42%
28%
0%
50%
High-poverty* schools All other schools
*Teachers scoring in the bottom quartile on on SAT/ACT. “High-poverty” schools have 2/3 or more students eligible for reduced-price lunch.Source: Education Week, “Quality Counts 2001,” January 2001.
In Louisiana?
Out-of-Field TeachersLA: Secondary Schools
Low-poverty schools: 38%High Poverty schools: 51%
Multiple Reasons;Devastating Impact
If we had the courage and creativity to change these
patterns?
“By our estimates from Texas schools, having an above average teacher for five years running can completely close the average gap between low-income students and
others.” John Kain and Eric Hanushek
What Contributes to Teacher Effectiveness?
• Academic (especially Verbal) Skills;• Subject Matter Knowledge;• Experience; • ??????
Measures not great, but…let’s look at what
we have.
Combined SAT ScoreArts & Humanities 920
Biological Sciences and Related Areas 909
Business, Commerce, and Communications 875
Computer and Information Sciences 894
Education 854
Engineering 999
Mathematics 1082
Social sciences & related areas 902
Praxis II Passers vs. All College Grads
SAT Mean
Praxis II Passers 1029
All College Grads 1085
A Look at Prose and Math Literacy
Average Prose, Document and Quantitative Literacy: Teachers vs.
Other 4-Year Degrees
305
310
315
320
325
330
Prose Document Quantitative
TeachersOther BA
Prose Literacy of Teachers vs. Other BAs
05
1015202530354045
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
TeachersOther BA
Description: Prose Literacy Levels 1 and 2
• CAN Underline meaning of term given in government brochure
• CAN Locate two features of information in a sports article
• CAN Interpret instructions from an appliance warranty
• CAN’T Integrate information from lengthy or dense text
• CAN’T Generate response based on information easily identified in text
• CAN’T Match information when low-level inferences are required
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Adult Literacy Survey, 1992, in Literacy in the Labor Force: Results from the NALS, September 1999, p. 61.
Description:Prose Literacy Level 3
• CAN Write brief letter explaining error on credit card bill
• CAN Read news article and identify sentence that provides interpretation of situation
• CAN’T State in writing argument made in a lengthy newspaper article
• CAN’T Contrast views in two editorials on technologies available to make fuel-effective cars
• CAN’T Compare two metaphors used in a poem
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Adult Literacy Survey, 1992, in Literacy in the Labor Force: Results from the NALS, September 1999, p. 61.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5
teachersother BA
Math Literacy of Teachers vs. Other BAs
Description:Quantitative Literacy Level 3
• CAN Determine correct change using information on a menu
• CAN Use information stated in news article to calculate amount of money it takes to raise a child
• CAN’T Determine shipping and total costs on an order form for items in a catalog
• CAN’T Use information in news article to calculate difference in time for completing a race
Source: USDOE, NCES, National Adult Literacy Survey, 1992, in Literacy in the Labor Force: Results from the NALS, September 1999, p. 61.
Preparation in the Field
25
17.4
39.5
34
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
English Social Studies Science Math
Percentage of Public School Teachers without a Major or Minor in Teaching Field
Perc
ent
Clearly, important roles for higher education in assuring both adequate core academic skills and
knowledge of content.But...
Other critical needs as well, including (among others):
• Assuring that ALL new teachers are steeped in new research about reading;
• Assuring that ALL new teachers are familiar with state standards and assessments, know how to analyze data and find related resources; and,
• Assuring that ALL new teachers immersed in lessons from high-performing, high poverty schools.
Improving Teaching:
Key Roles for Higher Education
Lessons from NASH Systems, States
Three Key Roles:
• Preparing new teachers capable of teaching all students to standards;
• Helping to improve the skills and knowledge of current teachers;
• Increasing supply and equitable distribution.
1. Preparing teachers capable of teaching all students to high
standards
TEACHING IN A STANDARDS-BASED
SYSTEM...
• REQUIRES SO MUCH MORE THAN EVER BEFORE
FOCUS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
• Educator preparation should be driven by and flow from K-12 standards/learning goals
Most States Have Moved to Raise Licensure Standards
Higher Education Response:
• Raising Standards for Entry;• Increasing Content;• Aligning preparation with standards
Increasing Content
• University System of Georgia;• North Carolina
Aligning University Preparation with State K-12 Standards
• Louisiana;• Texas A & M System
2. Supporting the Growth of the Current Teacher Force
University of Pittsburgh: Support for Schools Helps Wipe Out Black/White Gap in Math
Skills
30%
74%
48%
71%
0%
100%
Weak Implementation Strong Implementation
Met
Sta
ndar
d on
New
Sta
ndar
d R
efer
ence
Exa
m
African American White
Note: Chart compares students in schools with similar demographics.Source: Briar and Resnick, CSE Technical Report 528, CRESST, UCLA, August 2000.
El Paso TAAS Pass Rates Reading Grades 3, 8 and 10
57.7
69.974.2
7982.1
86.2
54.2
65.769.8
74.277.8
83.581.4
86 87.691
93.6 95.4
20
100
92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 96-97 97-98
Academic Year
African American Latino White
Source: El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence
California Subject Matter Projects
• University of California System;• California State University System
3. Increasing Supply, especially in Shortage Fields, and Working
Toward More Equitable Distribution of Teacher Talent
Raising Standards for Teachers:
Automatically Reduce Supply?
State Policy Directives and Incentives Can Help
• New York;• Louisiana
Serious, Aggressive Institutional Recruitment Will Also Help
• California State University;• North Carolina One-Stop
But Need to Expand Quality Alternate Routes, as Well
• New York Teaching Fellows: CUNY and New Teacher Project;
• East Baton Rouge;• ULS and New Teacher Project.
For Higher Education…a lingering worry about K-12 hiring
practices?
Georgia
Putting It All Together:Texas A & M
• aggressive production goals, especially minorities, shortage areas;
• higher institutional pass rate standards than state as a whole--for all groups of teachers;
• Quality Assurance Process.
The Education Trust
For More Information . . .www.edtrust.org
202-293-1217