Three years ago, one of our first presenters to the Achievement Gap Committee was Dr. David Heistad, director of research, evaluation and assessment for Minneapolis Public Schools. On Friday, May 21, he addressed the topic: "Looking back at the last three years: What the data show about student performance and achievement gaps in Minneapolis Public Schools." The event recap is below:
Committee on the Achievement Gap
University Lutheran Church of Hope
12 Noon May 21, 2010
Achievement Gap Trends in Minnesota and Minneapolis Public Schools
Dr. David Heistad, Ph.D, Executive Director Research, Evaluation and Assessment for Minneapolis Public Schools
Dr. David Heistad has worked as a program evaluator and researcher in Minneapolis Public Schools for the past 24 years. In addition to MPS Executive Director of Research, Heistad works for the Value-Added Research Center (VARC) at the University of Wisconsin on the large scale teacher effectiveness project funded by the Bush Foundation. Dr. Heistad has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from St. Olaf College, a Masters in Educational Statistics and a Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. The 2009 recipient of the Council of Great City Schools research leadership award, Heistad’s current work focuses on the development and implementation of valid educational accountability indicators for school improvement.
Dr Heistad spoke to an overflow crowd of over 70 people at the University Lutheran Church of Hope in St. Paul.
Three years ago, he remarked, a few of us sat around a table in a café in Byerly’s to discuss the racial achievement gap. We’ve grown since then but the gap remains a daunting problem. Speaking from a series of powerpoint slides on student achievement, Heistad started with test results from the National Assessment for Education Progress. NAEP is the best constructed test available reflecting national standards. NAEP assessments are administered uniformly every 2 years in several grade levels and the results serve as a common metric for states and selected urban districts. Starting with the bad news: MN has not been successful in closing the achievement gap. The most recent test results show an alarming increase in the gap in Minnesota’s 4th grade reading gap - the 2nd largest in the country (Washington D.C. has the largest gap).
White students in MN have consistently been in the top 10-15% of the country on the NAEP. For the 7 year period from 2002 – 2009, the average 4th grade reading score for MN white students increased 1 point while Black students decreased 7 points and Hispanic students dropped 8 points. The result: MN’s white-Black gap widened by 8 points and the white-Hispanic gap increased by 9 points.
The trend line is looking better on MN students 8th grade reading scores. Every group is going up and students who have the farthest to go are making the most progress. For the 6 year period from 2003-2009, while the average score for white students increased 2 points, Black students decreased 1 point which increased the white-Black gap by 1 point. Hispanic students increased by 7 points, narrowing the white-Hispanic gap by 5 points. At this rate, it would take 40 -50 years to close the gap.
Black and Hispanic as well as white students are showing significant progress on the NAEP Grade 4 and Grade 8 Math Assessments for 2003 - 2009. While white students increased 9 points on the 4th grade test and 5 points on the 8th grade test, Black students scores went up 8 points and 13 points and Hispanic students scores increased 12 points and 7 points. The white-Black gap increased in 4th grade but decreased by 8 points in 8th grade. The white-Hispanic gap decreased by 3 points in 4th grade and decreased by 2 points in 8th grade
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Q: Does NAEP control for students who are ELL?
A: NAEP does not but MN and MPS track scores in subgroups including Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Limited English Proficiency, Special Education and Free and reduced Priced Lunch in addition to white, Black and Hispanic. Students can be in more than one subgroup. Looking at just MPS student statistics, High School graduation rates are improving overall, from 67.2% in 2007 to 76.4% in 2009. The biggest improvement was for Hispanic students (32.5% to 59.1%) and for Native America students (43.5% to 57.5%). Prevention programs like the Check and Connect program of the U of M are contributing to reducing the drop out rate. The official federal graduation rate for African Americans in MPS is 34%. This statistic doesn’t include GED or students graduating in more than 4 years.
We’re seeing some progress on 10th grade graduation test scores. Passing rates on the Grade 10 Reading GRAD Test increased from 2008 – 2009 for African American and Native American students (7% and 8%, respectively). Four percent fewer Asian American (57%-53%) and Hispanic students (43%-39%) passed. White students passing rates improved another 2% - from 88%-90%.
The MPS Grade 11 Math MCA-II/GRAD Test scores are dismal. MN’s tests, based on algebra II, set some of the highest standards in the country. These state math tests are used for No Child Left Behind high stakes testing. The percent of MPS students scoring proficient on the Grade 11 MCA-II ranges from 6% to 58%. (see slide on page 4 of attached handout) Math is the biggest problem for Native American and African American students. Most of the gains in math scores in the last few years were made by white students, enlarging the achievement gap. A bright note for MPS is that the district average for white students is higher than the state average. MPS has the highest achievement growth rate for white students in the metro area.
On the MCA_II Reading Proficiently Test given in grades 3-8 from 2007-2009, while all groups made progress, the gap between white students and students of color remains large. 85% of white students passed while 32% of African American, 36% of Hispanic, 37% of Native American and 47% of Asian students passed. On the 2007-2009 MCA-II & MTELL Math Tests given in grades 3-8, 22% of African American, 29% of Native American, 30% of Hispanic, 44% of Asian and 77% of white students scored proficient in 2009. While all groups made progress, white students progress at 5% was the largest, enlarging the gap with other groups.
The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The next series of slides shows the high math and reading growth trends for student subgroups in MN and in MPS. (see charts on pages 5,6, & 7 of the handout).
One area that’s been consistently positive: narrowing the kindergarten literacy gap. Kindergarten growth is increasing. We need to focus on what works. MPS can’t do it all. We partner with Reading Corps, Head Start, and other quality pre-K programs. MPS has tripled the amount of Hi-5 pre-K. The eligibility for Hi-5 has also changed. 90% of kids are low income (qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch), 41% are ELL. Every child receives a MARS number at screening so that MPS can follow their progress through school.
Q: Doesn’t the data show that MPS kids get worse between 1st and 3rd grade?
A: Just beginning to see the kids in first grade whom we know attended quality pre-kindergarten programs. Response to Intervention works. One-to-one tutoring has the highest effectiveness of intervention programs. It’s offered in the home, following a sound curriculum.
Q: Doesn’t attendance play a significant role in student achievement?
A: Yes, definitely, we’re focused on reducing time away from instruction. We have to focus on the key drivers of positive change. Instructional effectiveness has huge impact. If a child who’s behind has a high quality teacher for 4 years, the research shows they can catch up. The Bush Foundation is investing $40 million in recruiting and coaching a diverse pool of teachers focused on student results. Bush provides coaching and feedback and tracks their students’ progress. MPS identified teachers with the highest “value-added.” They asked the kindergarten teachers who helped their kids “beat the odds” in two elementary schools, Loring and Lyndale, to demonstrate how they do it. These teachers developed videos and are excited about being leads in staff development for struggling schools.
The teachers said they use Response to Intervention using whatever works for individual kids. They also work in flexible teams with support from the administration. Teachers are encouraged to draw on whatever works (phonics, etc.) with an individual child from the belief that every child can learn. Check out the website http://rea.mpls.k12.mn.us/BEAT_THE_ODDS - Kindergarten_Teachers.html for more detail and their videos on strategies that work. Systematic support and help from community volunteers also contributes to kids’ success. Bush Foundation research shows added value for children’s learning from parent involvement. The Baltimore model “Success for All” provides specific activities for volunteers and parents.
Notes by Nancy Johnson Early childhood system consultant.
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