Many Kids Still Left Behind–States Show Weak Gains for Needy Students
A new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation finds that half of states miss the bus on vital education reforms. According to the study, just eight states can claim even moderate success over the last 15 years at boosting the percentage of their poor or minority students who are at or above proficient in reading, math or science.
The study also finds that most states making significant achievement gains–including California, Delaware, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas–are national leaders in education reform, indicating that solid standards, tough accountability, and greater school choice can yield better classroom results.
The Fordham Report 2006: How Well Are States Educating Our Neediest Children? appraises each state according to 30 indicators across three major categories: student achievement for low-income, African-American, and Hispanic students; achievement trends for these same groups over the last 10 to 15 years; and the state’s track record in implementing bold education reforms.
Key findings are:
Student Achievement–Student achievement grades are based primarily on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), specifically the reading, mathematics, and science proficiency of low-income, African-American, and Hispanic students. The average state grade is D. Three states flunked, and none earned better than D+.
Achievement Trends–Looking at student achievement over time reveals that 31 states have made at least “minimal” progress among poor or minority students. Thirteen, however, have posted no gains for these students over the last decade. With both low current scores and no progress to speak of, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin are among the worst offenders.
Education Reform–States receive somewhat higher marks for their school reform efforts: The national average is C-. Arizona, New Mexico, and California lead the nation in reform, measured by nine indicators in three categories: curricular content, standards-based reform, and school choice. Yet half the states received Ds or Fs–a disturbing sign that their policymakers still aren’t taking the bold actions needed to raise achievement and close achievement gaps.
The Reform/Achievement Nexus–A majority of the states with high marks on Fordham’s education reform measure also show some gains in achievement among poor and minority students. And five of the eight states making the greatest NAEP gains also rank among the top 10 jurisdictions for education reform, implying that tough-minded education reforms tend to get results.
The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation strives to close America’s achievement gaps by raising standards, strengthening accountability, and expanding high-quality education options for parents and families.
