Achievement Gap Facts

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In the article “The Facts about the Achievement Gap" published in 2013, Diane Ravitch claims the achievement gaps are not as bad as data revealed by the education reformers. Education reform has been always the biggest issue in the 21st century. Educators have tried to pull the achievement gaps between the white students and African American, Hispanic and Asian students. The actual statistics have shown the achievement gaps remained the same, but all students have improved their National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Education reformers think the achievement gap has not improved in the past decades and this statement is denied by Diane Ravitch's researched data, the article also points out the only way to close the…show more content…
As a result, the law of No Child Left Behind is made to improve the achievement gaps between white and other color students. The article also mentioned about the disadvantage of poverty students' families having lower test scores compared to rich students' families. The ending results for No Child Left Behind actually failed the education law makers. The achievement gaps remained the same. The reason is that the white students and all other color students have made improvement, therefore, the achievement gaps stayed the same, but overall scores are higher than decades…show more content…
Timar of the University of California wrote in the article: “One reason is that although schools can be held accountable for some of the disadvantage theses students’ experience, they have been given the entire responsibility for closing the achievement gap (emphasis mine). Yet the gap is the symptom of larger social, economic and political problems that go far beyond the reach of the school. While schools are part of the solution, they alone cannot solve the problem of educational disparities." Timar also points out that the education policy makers have never been concerned about the activities of social capital that may bring changes to the current educational system. Education reformers are under impression that school can make the achievement gap closer through working alone. In the article, Education reformers never thought of wealthy parents can provide a better environment and study needs such as more books and computer, and a safer and quiet environment for kids to study. Unlike students with low income parents, parents are unable to provide computer and enough books for their kids to study. Students with better nutrition may have better grades than students without enough nutrition. The school is overcrowded or some classes have better experienced teachers with full scope of curriculum. These are the reasons creating the achievement gaps. Social and economic issues need to be resolved before the improvement of the achievement gap. Ravitch
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