New education standards factor in student race, economic status

[ScienceRocks]

New education standards factor in student race, economic status

Plan 2020 strives to use where students are now as starting point


Published: Sunday, June 30, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 10:58 p.m.

Beginning this fall, Alabama public schools will be under a new state-created academic accountability system that sets different goals for students in math and reading based on their race, economic status, ability to speak English and disabilities.

The state's new Plan 2020 will replace No Child Left Behind, the much-maligned, Bush-era accountability program. Plan 2020 emphasizes getting students college- or career-ready and closing the achievement gap that exists between impoverished minority students and students who are better off socioeconomically.

New education standards factor in student race, economic status | TuscaloosaNews.com

They're pretty much admitting that I and the test results are right... I don't think it is fair to put someone ahead of someone more intelligent or more capable...But this is one way to close the damn gap.

 

[itfitzme]

It seems to be a performance measure for the school, nor the individual students. From what I am gathering, it appropriately addresses the fact that schools have differences in the make-up of the student body, a make-up that is beyond the control of the teachers and administration. Individual students are still required to perform. The school isn't penalized for the fact it has a student body which has well know socio-economic characteristic and the achievment level for that group is less than the average.

 

[The Professor]

It seems to be a performance measure for the school, nor the individual students. From what I am gathering, it appropriately addresses the fact that schools have differences in the make-up of the student body, a make-up that is beyond the control of the teachers and administration. Individual students are still required to perform. The school isn't penalized for the fact it has a student body which has well know socio-economic characteristic and the achievment level for that group is less than the average.

You are correct. According to the link:
“For example, under No Child Left Behind, 95 percent of all third-graders had to pass math by 2013 for a school to meet education standards. All third-graders, black, white, poor, special needs or otherwise, had to meet the same goal. But under Plan 2020, the percentage of third-graders required to pass math in 2013 is different for each subgroup."

According to the link, the percentages needed for third-graders to pass math in their subgroups for 2013 are:

- 93.6 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students.
- 91.5 percent of white students.
- 90.3 percent of American Indian students.
- 89.4 percent of multiracial students.
- 85.5 percent of Hispanic students.
- 82.6 percent of students in poverty.
- 79.6 percent of English language-learner students.
- 79 percent of Black students.

This is about standards set for each school and has nothing to do with individual student grades. Both Black and White students will be judged by the same standard and will fail if they get less than a passing grade. However, the school will not be judged by how many total students pass, but rather how many students within each group pass.