Raising Achievement and
Closing Gaps in
Michigan:
What Do We Know About
What It Will Take?
Presentation to Flint FACT, October 4, 2011
Amber Arellano, Executive Director, The Education Trust--Midwest
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Our Mission
• The Education Trust-Midwest works for the
high academic achievement of all Michigan
students, pre-kindergarten through college.
• Our goal is to close the gaps in opportunity
and achievement for all children, particularly
those from low-income families or who are
African American, Latino or American Indian.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
About the Education Trust Midwest
• The Education Trust-Midwest is non-partisan,
independent, and research-based.
• The Education Trust-Midwest is a state-wide
education policy, practice and advocacy
organization.
• The Education Trust-Midwest is focused first
and foremost on doing what is right for
Michigan students—we are the only such
voice in the state of Michigan.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
About the Education Trust Midwest
• Affiliated with national Education Trust
founded in 1991.
• Established with generous support from the
W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Skillman
Foundation.
• Staffed by Michiganders who are invested in
working for Michigan students for the long
term.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
How does Education Trust Midwest carry
out its work?
• We serve as a watchdog and independent source of reliable and honest
information for families, educators, journalists, policymakers and others.
• We conduct research and analyze local, state, and national data, then use
what we learn to help build broader understanding of achievement and
opportunity gaps and how to close them.
• We provide expertise and practical assistance, working alongside
educators, parents, students, policymakers, and civic and business leaders
in their efforts to transform schools and colleges into institutions that
serve all students well.
• We participate actively in national and state policy debates, bringing
lessons learned from on-the-ground work and from unflinching data
analyses to build the case for policies that will help all students and
schools reach high levels of achievement.
• For more information check out: www.edtrustmidwest.org
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What do we know about trends in
student achievement?
National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) Long-Term Trends
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First, some good news.
After more than a decade of fairly flat
achievement and stagnant or
growing gaps, we appear to be
turning the corner with our younger
students.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Record Performance with Gap Narrowing
9 Year Olds – NAEP Reading
250
240
Average Scale Score
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
African American
160
Latino
White
150
1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004
2008
*Denotes previous assessment format
Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Record Performance for All Groups
9 Year Olds – NAEP Math
250
240
Average Scale Score
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
African American
160
Latino
White
150
1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999*
2004
2008
*Denotes previous assessment format
Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Record Achievement for All Groups,
(but Gaps Just as Wide as in 1990)
13 Year Olds – NAEP Math
300
290
Average Scale Score
280
270
260
250
240
230
220
African American
210
Latino
White
200
1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999*
2004
2008
*Denotes previous assessment format
Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
And next time somebody tells you,
“We’re spending more on education,
but the results are flat,” show them
the results of a decade of effort in
mathematics…
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1996 NAEP Grade 4 Math
By Race/Ethnicity – Nation
100%
3%
7%
90%
80%
Percentage of Students
26%
24%
32%
70%
60%
49%
50%
40%
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
Below Basic
73%
61%
30%
20%
26%
10%
0%
African American
Latino
White
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
2007 NAEP Grade 4 Math
By Race/Ethnicity – Nation
100%
15%
90%
22%
Percentage of Students
80%
51%
70%
48%
60%
47%
50%
Proficient/Advanced
Basic
40%
Below Basic
30%
40%
20%
37%
31%
10%
9%
0%
African American
Latino
White
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
More low-income students are performing
at higher levels today than in 1996
Lower Income Students (National Public) – Grade 4 NAEP Math
100%
7%
90%
Percentage of Students
80%
21%
33%
70%
60%
49%
50%
Basic
40%
30%
Proficient/Advanced
Below Basic
60%
20%
29%
10%
0%
1996
2009
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Bottom Line:
When we really focus on
something, we make
progress.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Clearly, though, much more remains to
be done in elementary and middle
school
Too many students still enter high
school way behind.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
2009 NAEP Grade 4 Reading
All Students, Nation
100%
90%
Percentage of Students
80%
31%
70%
60%
50%
Proficient/Advanced
34%
Basic
Below Basic
40%
30%
20%
34%
10%
0%
Source: NCES, NAEP Data Explorer
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
2009 NAEP Grade 8 Math
All Students, Nation
100%
90%
Percentage of Students
80%
32%
70%
60%
50%
Proficient/Advanced
39%
Basic
Below Basic
40%
30%
20%
10%
29%
0%
Source: NCES, NAEP Data Explorer
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
However, NAEP performance in
Michigan is less inspiring.
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Michigan NAEP Performance
Students Overall – Grade 4 Reading
2003
2005
2007
2009
Average Scale
Score
219
218
220
218
Relative Rank
Tied
25th
Tied
30th
Tied
30th
Tied
34th
Note: Rankings are among all 50 states
Source: NCES, NAEP Data Explorer
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Michigan NAEP Performance
Students Overall – Grade 8 Math
2003
2005
2007
2009
Average Scale
Score
276
277
277
278
Relative Rank
34th
33rd
Tied
35th
Tied
36th
Note: Rankings are among all 50 states
Source: NCES, NAEP Data Explorer
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Low achievement and gaps have
big consequences for our
international competitiveness
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A few years ago, we got a wake up
call when the 2000 Programme for
International Assessment (PISA)
results were published.
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PISA Performance
U.S.A. Ranks Near Bottom, Has Fallen Since 2000
Subject
Mathematics
Science
2000 Rank
(out of 26)
2003 Rank
(out of 26)
2009 Rank
(out of 26)
17th
13th
22nd
Tied 17th
20th
13th
Note: Rankings are for the 26 OECD countries participating in PISA in 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2009.
Source: PISA 2006 Results, OECD
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Of 34 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranks 25th in Math
Average scale score
600
550
2009 PISA - Math
OECD
U.S.A.
500
450
400
350
Source: “Highlights from PISA 2009,” NCES, 2010
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
And there’s been little progress
in our high schools
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Gaps as Wide as in 1990
17 Year Olds – NAEP Reading
320
310
Average Scale Score
300
290
280
270
260
250
240
African American
230
Latino
White
220
1971* 1975* 1980* 1984* 1988* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999* 2004
2008
*Denotes previous assessment format
Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Since 1990, African American – White Gap
Has Not Narrowed
17 Year Olds – NAEP Math
340
330
Average Scale Score
320
310
300
290
280
270
260
African American
250
Latino
White
240
1973* 1978* 1982* 1986* 1990* 1992* 1994* 1996* 1999*
2004
2008
*Denotes previous assessment format
Source: NAEP 2008 Trends in Academic Progress, NCES
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
These gaps begin before children
arrive at the schoolhouse door.
But, rather than organizing our educational
system to ameliorate this problem, we
organize it to exacerbate the problem.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
How?
By giving students who arrive with
less, less in school, too.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Less Money
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
National Inequities in State and Local Revenue
Per Student
High Poverty vs.
Low Poverty Districts
High Minority vs.
Low Minority Districts
Gap
–$773
per student
–$1,122
per student
Source: Education Trust analyses based on U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Census Bureau data for the 2005-06 school year.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Lower Expectations
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10th Grade – Writing Assignment
A 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 welldeveloped essay, identify the character and
explain why this character’s conflict with
society is important.
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© 2011
10th Grade – Writing Assignment
Write 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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Less Access to Rigorous Courses
Aligned with the Expectations of
Colleges and Employers
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© 2011
The single biggest predictor post-high
school success is the QUALITY AND
INTENSITY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
CURRICULUM
Cliff Adelman, The Toolbox Revisited, U.S. Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Percent of Students Attending High Schools that
Offer High-Level Math Courses
Low-SES Students are Less Likely to Attend High
Schools that Offer High-Level Math Courses
100
83
80
72
64
60
44
40
Low SES
High SES
20
0
Trigonometry
Calculus
Source: Clifford Adelman, U.S. Department of Education, The Toolbox Revisited, 2006.
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They are likely to attend high schools that
offer courses like these:
Algebra Art
Pre-Spanish
Future Studies
Exploring
Principles of PE
Teen Living
Life Management
Food Fundamentals
Winter Activities
Source: Education Trust Analysis of High School Transcripts; 2005
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And Less Access to the Best Teachers
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Core classes in high-poverty and high-minority secondary
schools are more likely to be taught by out-of-field teachers
Percentage of Classes Taught by Teachers
With Neither Certification nor Major
50%
45%
41%
40%
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
17%
16%
15%
10%
5%
0%
High
Poverty
Low
Poverty
High
Minority
Low
Minority
Note: Data are for secondary-level core academic classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) across United States.
High-poverty ≥75% of students eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Low-poverty school ≤15% of students eligible.
High-minority ≥ 75% students non-white. Low-minority ≤ 10% students non-white.
Source: The Education Trust, Core Problems: Out-of-Field Teaching Persists in Key Academic Courses and High-Poverty Schools, (2008)
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Students at High-Minority Schools More Likely
to Be Taught by Novice Teachers
Percentage of Novice Teachers
50%
40%
30%
22%
20%
13%
10%
0%
Low Minority
High Minority
Note: Novice teachers are those with three years or fewer experience.
High-minority ≥ 75% students non-white. Low-minority ≤ 10% students non-white.
Source: Analysis of 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey data by Richard Ingersoll, University of Pennsylvania (2007)
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Tennessee: High poverty/high minority schools have fewer of the
“most effective” teachers and more “least effective” teachers
40.0%
Percentage of Teachers
35.0%
30.0%
23.8%
25.0%
21.3%
20.0%
17.6%
16.0%
Most Effective Teachers
Least Effective Teachers
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
High poverty/high
minority schools
Low poverty/low
minority schools
Note: High Poverty/High minority means at least 75% qualify for FRPL and at least 75% are minority.
Source: Tennessee Department of Education (2007). “Tennessee’s Most Effective Teachers.” http://tennessee.gov/education/nclb/doc/TeacherEffectiveness2007_03.pdf
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Results are devastating.
Kids who come in a little behind,
leave a lot behind.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds
Do Math at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
Percent of Students
100%
0%
200
250
300
350
Average Scale Score
White 13 Year-Olds
African American 17 Year-Olds
Latino 17-Year Olds
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
African American and Latino 17 Year-Olds
Read at Same Levels As White 13 Year-Olds
Percent of Students
100%
0%
150
200
250
300
350
Average Scale Score
White 13 Year-Olds
African American 17 Year-Olds
Latino 17 Year-Olds
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP 2004 Trends in Academic Progress
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
And this is of the students who stay
in through 12th grade.
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Note: Data show the averaged freshman graduation rate, or the percentage of incoming freshmen who graduate with a high school diploma four
years later.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (2008)
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This means that of the nearly 4
million students who entered 9th
grade in 2002-03,
more than 1 million did not
graduate by 2005-06
Source: Ed Trust analysis of enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data using the Averaged Freshman
Graduation Rate (AFGR) methodology. For more information on the AFGR methodology, see National Center for Education Statistics, Users Guide
to Computing High School Graduation Rates, Volume 2, August 2006.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
What Can We Do?
An awful lot of people have decided
that we can’t do much.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
What We Hear Many Leaders Say:
• They’re poor
• Their parents don’t care
• They come to schools without
breakfast
• Not enough books
• Not enough parental involvement
Source: N/A
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
But if they are right, why are lowincome students and students of
color performing so much higher in
some schools…
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North Godwin Elementary School
Grand Rapids, Michigan
• 436 students in grades K-4
– 11% African American
– 43% Latino
– 36% White
• 75% Low-Income
Source: Michigan Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
High Performance Across Groups
at North Godwin
Grade 4 Reading (2010)
100%
90%
97%
97%
98%
89%
84%
78%
80%
Percentage Meeting or
Exceeding Standards
100%
96%
92%
76%
70%
60%
50%
North Godwin
40%
Michigan
30%
20%
10%
0%
Overall
Latino
White
Lower
Income
Higher
Income
Source: Michigan Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Exceeding Standards
at North Godwin
Latino Students – Grade 4 Math (2010)
100%
90%
28%
Percentage of Students
80%
70%
63%
60%
Exceeding Standards
50%
61%
40%
Meeting Standards
Not Meeting Standards
30%
20%
37%
10%
11%
0%
North Godwin
Michigan
Source: Michigan Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Available at
Harvard
Education Press
(www.hepg.org)
or Amazon.com
Source:
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Very big differences at district level,
too—even in the performance of the
“same” group of students.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Percentage of African American Students Meeting or
Exceeding Standards By District
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
2010 Grade 4 Reading MEAP
100%
All African American Students in
Michigan
Detroit
80%
Flint
60%
40%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education Fall 2010 MEAP Data: http://michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_31168_31530---,00.html
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Percentage of African American Students Meeting or
Exceeding Standards By District
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
2010 Grade 8 Math MEAP
100%
All African American Students in
Michigan
80%
Detroit
60%
Flint
40%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Percentage of Latino Students Meeting or Exceeding
Standards By District
Godwin Heights
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
100%
2010 Grade 4 Reading MEAP
All Latino Students in Michigan
Detroit
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education
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Percentage of Latino Students Meeting or Exceeding
Standards By District
2010 Grade 8 Math MEAP
Godwin Heights
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
100%
All Latino Students in Michigan
80%
Detroit
60%
40%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Average Scale Scores by District:
Low-Income Students
Grade 4 – NAEP Reading (2009)
260
Average Scale Score
250
240
230
220
Detroit
210
200
190
180
170
160
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES (Proficient Scale Score = 238)
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Average Scale Scores by District:
Low-Income Students
Grade 8 – NAEP Math (2009)
320
Average Scale Score
310
300
290
280
270
260
Detroit
250
240
230
220
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES (Proficient Scale Score = 299)
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Very big differences within a district
as well. Let’s take a look at
performance at some Flint schools.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Percentage of Students in Flint Meeting or Exceeding
Standards By School
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
2010 Grade 4 Reading MEAP
100%
92%
85%
80%
84%
84%
75%
69%
69%
64%
60%
63%
63%
62%
58%
57%
56%
47%
40%
40%
38%
35%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education Fall 2010 MEAP Data: http://michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_31168_31530---,00.html
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Percentage of Students in Flint Meeting or Exceeding
Standards By School
Percent Meeting or Exceeding Standards
2010 Grade 4 Math MEAP
100%
80%
100%
98%
93%
92%
89%
89%
87%
87%
84%
84%
83%
78%
74%
71%
69%
68%
68%
63%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Source: Michigan Department of Education Fall 2010 MEAP Data: http://michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-22709_31168_31530---,00.html
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Bottom Line:
At every level of education,
what we do matters a lot!
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
What Do We Know About How
To Accelerate Success?
What do the high performers do?
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
#1. They focus on what they
can do, rather than what they
can’t.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
The leaders in high-performing high poverty schools
and districts don’t do that.
They focus on what they can do, not
on what they can’t.
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“ Some of our children live in pretty dire
circumstances. But we can’t dwell on that, because
we can’t change it. So when we come here, we
have to dwell on that which is going to move our
kids.”
Barbara Adderly, Principal,
M. Hall Stanton Elementary, Philadelphia
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
#2. They don’t leave anything about
teaching and learning to chance.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
An awful lot of our teachers—even brand new
ones—are left to figure out on their own what to
teach and what constitutes “good enough” work.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
“No,” say the education leaders.
“They’re supposed to teach to
standards!”
But when is the last time you looked
at a standard?
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Sample History Standard
“Students understand how science,
technology and economic activity
have developed, changed and
affected societies throughout
history.”
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
What does this do?
Leaves teachers entirely on their own to figure out
what to teach, what order to teach it in, HOW to
teach it…and to what level.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Students can do
no better than
the assignments
they are given...
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Low-income and minority students are also less likely to
have access to high-quality assignments.
Using the same textbook, School A in California
offered high-level assignments; School B did not.
School A
School B
1,467 students enrolled in 2005
2,001 students enrolled in 2005
• 82% White
• 6% Asian
• 4% Latino
• 2% Black
• 2% Low-Income
• 45% White
• 4% Asian
• 48% Latino
• 1% Black
• 27% Low-Income
Source: Education Trust – West analysis of two high schools
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© 2011
School A:
High-Level College-Prep Assignment
• Describe the fundamental problems in the
economy that helped cause the Great
Depression. Consider agriculture, consumer
spending and debt, distribution of wealth, the
stock market.
• Describe how people struggled to survive
during the Depression.
• How did Hoover’s belief in “rugged
individualism” shape his policies during the
Depression?
Source: Education Trust – West analysis of two high schools in unnamed California districts
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School B:
Low-Level College-Prep Assignment
• Role play (“Meet the Press”) and interview
key people of the era.
• Draw a political cartoon highlighting a major
event of the time.
• Share excerpts from noted literary authors-Lewis, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Hughes.
• Listen to jazz artists of the 1920s.
• Construct a collage depicting new inventions.
Source: Education Trust – West analysis of two high schools in unnamed California districts
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© 2011
High Performing Schools and Districts
• Have clear and specific goals for what students
should learn in every grade, including the order in
which they should learn it
• Provide teachers with common curriculum,
assignments
• Have regular vehicle to assure common marking
standards
• Assess students every 4-8 weeks to measure
progress
• Act immediately on the results of those assessments
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
In other words, they strive for
consistency in everything they
do.
And they bring that consistency to
school discipline, as well.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
#3. They set their goals high.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Even when they start with high drop out rates, high
impact high schools focus on preparing all kids for
college and careers
Education Trust 2005 study, “Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground.”
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
We’re not going to close the
achievement gap if we continue
to think about our work only as
“bringing the bottom up.”
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
We also have to bring the
middle- and higher-achievers up.
And we’re not doing so well on that
front right now.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
African American and Latino students are not
making gains at the advanced level at the same
rate as white students
NAEP – Grade 8 Math
14%
Percent at Advanced
12%
10%
10%
African American
Latino
9%
White
8%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
4%
2%
2%
0%
1%
0%
1996
1%
0% 0%
2000
1% 1%
1%
2%
1%
0%
2003
2005
2007
2009
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES
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Lower income students are not making gains at
the advanced level at the same rate as higher
income students
NAEP – Grade 8 Math
14%
12%
Percent at Advanced
12%
Lower Income
10%
10%
Higher Income
8%
8%
7%
7%
6%
4%
4%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1996
2000
2003
2005
2%
2%
2007
2009
0%
Source: NAEP Data Explorer, NCES
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#4. Higher performing secondary schools put
all kids—not just some—in a demanding high
school core curriculum.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Single biggest predictor post-high school success is
QUALITY AND INTENSITY OF HIGH SCHOOL
CURRICULUM
Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education.
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College prep curriculum has
benefits far beyond college.
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Students of all sorts do learn
more...
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Low Quartile Students Gain More
From College Prep Courses*
28
NELS Score Gain
30
20
19
16
0
Math
Reading
Vocational
College Prep
*Grade 8-grade 12 test score gains based on 8th grade achievement.
Source: USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, in Issue Brief:
Students Who Prepare for College and Vocation
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They also fail less often...
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Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers
Percent Earning "D" or "F"
Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level
course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles
47
50
31
23
16
0
Quartile I (Lowest)
College Prep
Quartile 2
Low Level
Source: SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.
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And they’ll be better prepared
for the workplace.
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Leading states, districts making
college prep the default
curriculum.
Texas, Indiana, Arkansas, Michigan,
Oklahoma, Kentucky, Kansas.
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#5. Principals are hugely important,
ever present, but
NOT
the only leaders in the school
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High performing schools…
• Teachers regularly observe other teachers;
• Teachers have time to plan and work
collaboratively;
• New teachers get generous and careful
support and acculturation;
• Teachers are empowered to and take on many
other leadership tasks at the school
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#6. Good schools know how much
teachers matter, and they act on that
knowledge.
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Cumulative Teacher Effects On Students’
Math Scores in Dallas (Grades 3-5)
Beginning Grade 3
Percentile Rank= 57
Beginning Grade 3
Percentile Rank= 55
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THE EDUCATION
TRUST
Source: Heather Jordan, Robert Mendro, and Dash Weerasinghe, The Effects of Teachers on Longitudinal Student
Achievement,
1997.
Students Assigned to Effective Teachers Dramatically
Outperformed Students Assigned to Ineffective Teachers
Average Percentile Rank
TCAP 5th Grade Math
100
96
83
80
60
District 1
44
40
29
District 2
20
0
Students Assigned to
Three EFFECTIVE Teachers
Students Assigned to
Three INEFFECTIVE
Teachers
Source: William L. Sanders and June C. Rivers, Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on Future Students Academic
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Achievement, University of Tennessee Value-Added Research and Assessment Center, 1996.
A 2008 study found that individual
teachers have a significant impact on
student graduation rates, prompting
researchers to conclude that “increasing
the ability of urban schools to recruit
and retain high-quality teachers has the
potential to reduce student dropout
rates significantly.”
Source: Gordon R., T. J. Kane, and D.O. Staiger. “Identifying Effective Teachers Using Performance on the Job.”
©
© 2011
2011 THE
THE EDUCATION
EDUCATION TRUST
TRUST
Washington, D.C.: The Brookings Institution, April, 2006.
So, there are VERY BIG
differences among our teachers.
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BUT…
For years, we have pretended that
there aren’t, as if teachers don’t
matter.
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The Widget Effect
“When it comes to measuring instructional performance,
current policies and systems overlook significant differences
between teachers. There is little or no differentiation of
excellent teaching from good, good from fair, or fair from
poor. This is the Widget Effect: a tendency to treat all
teachers as roughly interchangeable, even when their
teaching is quite variable. Consequently, teachers are not
developed as professionals with individual strengths and
capabilities, and poor performance is rarely identified or
addressed.”
• The New Teacher Project, 2009
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Source:
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Source:
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
So, we paper over the differences
among our teachers AND…we
continue to assign our weakest to
the kids who need the strongest.
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2011 THE
THE EDUCATION
EDUCATION TRUST
TRUST
© 2011
Percent of Class Taught by Teachers
With Neither Certification nor Major
Math Classes at High-Poverty and High- Minority Schools
More Likely to be Taught by Out of Field* Teachers
45%
High Poverty 41%
High Minority
30%
High
Low
Low Poverty 17%
Low Minority 16%
Poverty
Minority
0%
Note: High Poverty school-75% or more of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Low-poverty school -15% or fewer of the students are
eligible for free/reduced price lunch. High minority school-75% or more of the students are Black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or
Pacific Islander. Low-minority school -10% or fewer of the students are non-White students.
*Teachers with neither certification nor major. Data for secondary-level core academic classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, English) across USA.
Source: Analysis of 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey data by Richard Ingersoll, University of Pennsylvania 2007.© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Low-Achieving Students are More Likely to be Assigned to
Ineffective Teachers than Effective Teachers
Source: Sitha Babu and Robert Mendro, Teacher Accountability: HLM-Based Teacher Effectiveness Indices in the Investigation of
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
Teacher Effects on Student Achievement in a State Assessment Program, AERA Annual Meeting, 2003.
High performing schools and districts…
• Work hard to attract and hold good teachers
• Make sure that their best are assigned to the
students who most need them
• Chase out teachers who are not “good
enough” for their kids.
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All in all, not a very long list.
Mostly just common sense.
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Unfortunately, too few kids get access to schools like
these.
Not because they couldn’t learn…but
because we have not had the will.
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The most important agenda for
all of us?
Turning that around.
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Ed Trust Midwest’s Work So Far
• Making sure that every Michigan child has an
effective teacher.
• Under new tenure reforms, new teachers will receive
more support in their formative years
• Evaluations will become fair, consistent and provide
teachers with valuable feedback
• Teachers or administrators who earn three, consecutive
ineffective ratings on their annual performance
evaluations will be dismissed
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Big Opportunities for Michigan
• New Governor’s Council on Educator
Effectiveness will convene in late October and
will come up with:
• Ways to ensure that parents and the public have honest
and reliable information about the performance of
their schools
• Common definitions of teaching effectiveness
• Council is expected to report its findings to the
Legislature in late April 2012
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Proposed Accreditation/Accountability
System
• An accountability system gives us a way to
gauge the performance of all schools in the
state—Michigan is revising its system so this is
hugely important.
• The current proposal doesn’t provide schools
with accountability if they are in the top 80%.
• Schools in the bottom 20% do not receive any
goals or assistance to get better.
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST
This Fall…
Leave Nothing to Chance
Join us in Washington D.C.
November 3-5, 2011
for
The Education Trust National Conference
on Closing the Gap
Download this presentation
and learn more about the conference!
www.edtrust.org
Washington, D.C.
202/293-1217
Ann Arbor, MI
734/619-8008
Oakland, CA
510/465-6444
© 2011 THE EDUCATION TRUST