The Achievement Gap

Turnaround at Highland Elementary

On August 16th Principal Katherine Page and ESL coordinator Duane Berkas described the successful raising of student scores in Highland Elementary School winning state and national recognition. This Columbia Heights school had been failing, and was experiencing significant demographic change. For reactions click here.

That change is described by Myron Orfield who suggests that region-wide efforts on integration might have made the challenge easier.

Summer time and the learning gap (Dr. Carol Freeman)

Dr. Carol Freeman calls attention to a research finding that summertime accounts for a large part (or most) of the learning gap.  The study first appeared in the April issue of the American Sociological Review.   

Some quotes:

"the methodology is sound and the data depth is enviable, even if the sample size is small and all drawn from one place (Baltimore)".

“This is the only data set available to study this question—we can’t do any better than this” 

For more click here.