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Gaping achievement

by Jennifer Elise Chase, Education Writer
April 15, 2004; p. 10

The nearly 70 concerned parents, students and educators who filled the Dudley Branch Library's auditorium Monday night were offered the minutes of an Oct. 28, 1998, Boston School Committee meeting. During that meeting, six years ago, Superintendent Thomas Payzant discussed a recent achievement: Boston Public Schools was the first major urban school district in the nation to wire every school to the Internet.

During that same meeting, Payzant announced an action plan for closing the achievement gap, noting that BPS "had identified achievement gaps by race, gender and program." He proposed a system-wide goal of closing the gap by the 2002-03 school year, to "ensure that every racial group is within 5 percentage points of the highest-scoring racial group in standardized tests."

On Monday, one school year after the proposed goal was to be met, nearly 70 people gathered in Roxbury because black and Latino students continue to perform at dangerously low levels compared to their white and Asian peers. Attendees worried that academically low-performing students, many of whom are very bright, will evolve into professionally low-performing adults.

How has the same BPS that celebrated a first-in-the-nation tech achievement six years ago become the BPS suffering a widening gap in academic achievement? This is the question the Education Working Group for Equity and Excellence (EWGEE) hopes to answer. Monday's meeting brought parents and educators together to hear the EWGEE's ideas on recommitting - six years later - to Payzant's goal.

"The members of EWGEE believe this meeting will be an important step in focusing our attention on the issue of improving quality in the Boston public school system," City Councilor Chuck Turner told the South End News prior to the meeting. "One of the most glaring inequalities is the achievement gap between whites and blacks and Latinos. While the superintendent will be there, he is there essentially to listen. He will be back at the same place on May 10 for a hearing, where he will discuss the BPS plans. [This] meeting ... is to give an opportunity to the community to air [its] views."

The superintendent did more than just listen. An hour-long panel discussion comprising BPS teachers and students; parents; Richard Stutman, the president of Boston Teachers Union; and Superintendent Payzant, kicked off the night with answers to: What does the phrase "achievement gap" mean to you, why does it exist, and what can be done to eliminate it?

"Look at us: We're black, white, Latino. We're tall short, old young," began moderator Sandra McIntosh, parent coordinator at English High School and EWGEE member. "Tonight is what we hope will be the beginning of something that will actually help Boston Public Schools, to help close the - eliminate - the achievement gap."

Payzant said gender, race and socioeconomic standing factor into achievement gaps, but should not determine how students achieve. He echoed a comment made earlier by the union's Stutman: Figuring out how the gap occurred is not as important as figuring out how to fix it.

"Having some ideas about what causes it can give some clues about what we can do to eliminate it," Payzant said. But too often, discussions involve finger pointing: "This parent doesn't provide support at home. That teacher doesn't recognize my child's unique talents." Solving the problem, he said, is less about blame and more about recognizing the different ways students learn. "If you take a one-size-fits-all kind of approach, then we're not likely to target what's necessary" for individual students.

Many of the panelists agreed that educating should not involve lumping all students together. For example, Stutman said the MCAS is strangling schools. The exam is often blamed for the rapid-fire pace at which teachers must teach, to the detriment of students who need more time.

Steve Fernandez, a teacher at the O'Bryant School, said the short confines of the school day make it difficult to give students the individualized attention they need. Students Marcus Rogers and France Belizaire said they're working hard but not learning hard, thanks to the barrage of papers thrown their way each day, accompanied by insufficient instruction and a willingness to accept bad grades.

"A lot of kids believe it's okay to get an F," said Rogers. "You need to put it into their heads that it's not okay, and that it's not right. [But] a lot of teachers don't know how to deal with students, and they give them an F and just write them off."

Belizaire said teachers must take the time to identify the different learning styles of their students, and actually get students to enjoy learning, not just through the third grade.

"When you get to high school after being so enthusiastic [about school], I feel as though students get lost in the shuffle: Teachers try too hard to get information to students, work is thrown out quickly, and we don't get to take in as we should," said Belizaire.

Wendy Kelly, co-chair of the psych council at English High School, agreed that some teachers have low expectations, but said "I have never heard of a parent who didn't want to see their child succeed."

Claudia Owumi, who lived in West Africa before moving to the United States, has sent her seven children through BPS. One is now a freshman at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Owumi proffered a passionate testimony about trying be her children's first teacher, and trying to help public teachers help their students, to no avail.

"Year after year, when my children are going from high school into the university system, I ask myself, 'Are my children prepared to enter this institution?'" said Owumi. "I spend a lot of time within BPS, and I'm there with the teachers, working with the curriculum. I go in there every year [and say] 'I've done my very best to hand my child over to you. Will you take him and guide him with this family? I am their first teacher. I am your asset. I am your helper. Show me what I can do.' I don't known if they take me seriously."

Teachers like Judith Kauffman Baker of Madison Park Technical-Vocational High School say BPS teachers barely have the resources to teach, let alone deal with the abundant social problems students bring to school each day.

Baker, who is also a parent, teaches English to 139 students. At least 30 of them need social services. Twelve joined her class in the last two weeks; some are so angry that Madison Park is their third school this year that they are constantly disruptive.

"I don't have an easy referral system if I have a problem" in the classroom, said Baker; Madison Park has one guidance counselor for every 300 students. "I have 139 kids, and many of them are in foster care. I accept that it is my responsibility for teaching my students. But kids trying to learn are surrounded by an awful lot of kids who might want to learn, but they're so angry they can't sit still."

After the discussion, attendees were split into four breakout sessions where the same questions were posed. Answers, ideas and suggestions will be shared at a Monday, May 10 hearing at Dudley Library.