The Achievement Gap Addressed on Manchester Review

Recently David Stetson, Chairman of the Manchester High School Guidance Department reported to the Board of Education on . Although there has been some improvement over the years, only 71 percent of students graduated in 2011. Blacks (56 percent) and Hispanics (62 percent) did not do so well, but Asians were star pupils with a 100 percent graduation rate. Board members had some questions and asked Stetson to come back with a plan on what MHS plans to do to improve the rate.

The question I didn’t hear asked was: is there a link between the Achievement Gap and the graduation rate? I believe there is and I bet it is linked all the way back to kids who entered kindergarten with an achievement gap from early childhood. Are the students who failed to graduate from high school in four years the same students who started school way behind their peers? Why is it that 100 percent of Asians graduate but only 56 percent of blacks make it? Would the answers provide a clue as to what parents and the school system can do to improve the graduation rate?
  
Right now in CT it’s politically correct to blame teachers and the schools but research shows the Achievement Gap starts way before kids arrive at the school door. Many children living in poverty (coincidentally, many minority children) arrive at kindergarten way behind many of their peers. They grew up in a household lacking verbal stimulation, reading and proper nutrition. Many were born out of wedlock and live with a single mother. Research shows that these children are more likely to live in poverty and perform well below many of their peers when they get to school. At the outset it’s a parenting gap as well as an achievement gap.

In May, the achievement gap is explored on Manchester Review. Non school and school related factors are discussed.

As Manchester’s SMARTR commission explores what to do about our elementary schools, I hope they take a serious look at building Community Schools (Neal Pierce, JI, Feb 29, 2012) to help close the gap.  

“Using public schools as hubs, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities to children, youth, families and communities. There are hundreds of them across the country. Community Schools serve as a focal point not only for classroom education, but as a resource coordination point for additional services provided by multiple community agencies.”

We need to reach out to provide resources to children in early childhood to begin closing the gap.

Nathan Hale already has some seed elements of a community school. The SMARTR commission members should take note of this and seriously consider the issue when they make recommendations for our schools. Nathan Hale could be rebuilt as a pilot “community school.”

“” can be seen on Cox channel 15 at 9.