California P-16 Council
Barry Munitz, Chair
Overview
The subject of closing the academic achievement gap (achievement gap) is enormously complicated. To simply say that we will close the gap will not make it so, as many other states in the Nation have experienced. The goal of closing the achievement gap is one of the most important undertakings which must be met through serious and focused engagement of the issues in order to bring necessary change. To this end, we created this document to guide our work in this endeavor and we will make every effort to understand and contemplate the issues surrounding the achievement gap that exists in California before offering solutions or recommendations.
Guiding Principles
- We believe that we need to be respectful of different points of view and diverse opinions.
- We believe that we must stand ready to have courageous conversations about difficult topics.
- We believe that irrespective of race, socio-economic status, learning disability, or language background, all students can meet proficiency based on appropriate assessments of California’s rigorous academic standards.
- We believe that in order to succeed we must consider all programs that affect student achievement. For example, we will consider state bureaucracies, county and district practices, and the elimination or redesign of marginally effective practices.
The Process of Our Work
While there are numerous ways to assess the academic achievement of students, using standardized tests provides an objective measure of what students know. In addition, California’s standardized test scores provide a statewide evaluation of the education system as a whole. Therefore, we have elected to use the California Standards Tests (CSTs), the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA), the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) to measure academic success.
As a starting point for looking at the achievement gap that exists in California, we have set out the following parameters to guide the work of the P-16 Council for this next year.
- We will hold the same high expectations for success of all students and it is our goal that all students will score at proficient or above on all CSTs.
- In order to achieve success, ALL students must exhibit continuous gains.
(If the high performing subgroups decrease their performance this would result in a closing of the achievement gap – but not fulfill our intent. It is our intent to continuously improve the progress of all the students while accelerating the achievement rates of the low performing subgroups.) - We will determine success by the continuous and significant narrowing of the gap, which will result in the eventual closing of the gap among all subgroups as measured by CSTs, CAPA, and CAHSEE.
- For the purpose of our work we will focus on the academic disparity between the performance of recognized subgroups in our state and federal accountability systems. Therefore, we will focus on the gaps where they exist between:
- Ethnic Groups
- The white student subgroup compared to our African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Filipino, Hispanic/Latino, and Pacific Islander.
(The intent here is to use the traditional measure of the gap by comparing the academic proficiency of each lower performing ethnic subgroup to the traditionally higher performing White subgroup.)
- The white student subgroup compared to our African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Filipino, Hispanic/Latino, and Pacific Islander.
- Non-ethnic groups: For English Learners, we will focus on the gap through two distinct measures:
- The Gap between English learners (with at least 5 years or more of schooling in the United States) to non-English learners including Reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEP), English only (EO), and Initial Fluent English Proficient (IFEP)
(The intent here is to consider the traditional gauge of EL progress by comparing CST results of English learners (who have had at least 5 years or more of schooling in the United States) versus non-English learners on all CSTs. Five years or more of schooling represents a threshold level that provides sufficient English language instruction to allow students the ability to compete on CSTs with their non-EL counterparts.)
- The Gap between English learners and RFEP’s
(The intent here is to also acknowledge and consider a more sensitive gauge of the progress of ELs than simply proficiency on our rigorous content standards. So we will also consider the gap between ELs who have had 5 years or more of schooling in the United States yet remain English Learners and those who have been reclassified Fluent English Proficient.)
- The Gap between English learners (with at least 5 years or more of schooling in the United States) to non-English learners including Reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEP), English only (EO), and Initial Fluent English Proficient (IFEP)
- Economically Disadvantaged Students and Non-Economically Disadvantaged Students.
- Students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
- Ethnic Groups
- We will base our recommendations on programs and strategies that have shown evidence of success.
Glossary
CAHSEE - California High School Exit Examination
The CAHSEE, authorized by state law, is a standards-based test in English-language arts and mathematics that students must pass in order to receive a high school diploma.
CELDT - California English Language Development Test
This is a standardized test to assess the achievement of English language skills by English language learners in the state of California.
Advanced - Students performing at this level of English language proficiency communicate effectively with varied audiences on a wide range of familiar and new topics to meet social and academic demands. In order to attain English proficiency level of their native English–speaking peers, future linguistic enhancement and refinement are necessary.
Early Advanced Proficiency - Students performing at this level of English language proficiency begin to combine the elements of the English language in complex, cognitively demanding situations and are able to use English as a means for learning in other academic areas.
Intermediate - Students performing at this level of English language proficiency begin to tailor the English language skills they have been taught to meet their intermediate communication and learning needs.
Early Intermediate - Students performing at this level of English language proficiency start to respond with increasing ease to more varied communication tasks.
Beginning - Students performing at this level of English language proficiency may demonstrate little or no receptive or productive English skills. They may be able to respond to some communication tasks.
CSTs - California Standards Tests
The CSTs are the primary component of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. These tests were developed exclusively for California’s public schools to determine how well students are achieving state-adopted content standards in English-language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science.
EL Students - English Learner Students (formerly Known as Limited-English-Proficient or LEP)
English learner students are those students for whom there is a report of a primary language other than English on the state-approved Home Language Survey and who, on the basis of the state approved oral language (grades kindergarten through grade twelve) assessment procedures and literacy (grades three through twelve only), have been determined to lack the clearly defined English language skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing necessary to succeed in the school's regular instructional programs.
EDS - Economically Disadvantaged Students (sometimes referred to as socio-economic status)
For purposes of AYP and other reports, California defines EDS as students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunch. For schools with federal waivers, all students are classified as economically disadvantaged; this data is collected as part of the Student Record.
FEP or RFEP - Fluent-English-Proficient or Reclassified Fluent-English-Proficient
This category contains English learner (EL) students (formerly LEP students) who were reclassified as FEP (fluent-English-proficient) since the prior year census. These students are reclassified according to the multiple criteria, standards, and procedures adopted by the district and demonstrate that students being reclassified have English language proficiency comparable to that of average native English speakers.
STAR Program - Standardized Testing and Reporting Program
This is the system of standardized tests that California uses to assess student, school, district, and statewide progress. The tests included are: California Standards Test (CST), Standards-Based Test in Spanish (STS), California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA), California Achievement Tests, 6th Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey), Aprenda, La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición (Aprenda 3), Early Assessment Program (EAP).
Subgroup
A subgroup is a well-defined group of students. For example, the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001) identifies specific subgroups of students who must achieve adequate yearly progress. These identified subgroups are race or ethnicity, students with disabilities, limited English proficient, and socioeconomically disadvantaged.
