Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: Massachusetts

N

14

Federal Legislation; Low Income; American Indians; African American Students; Asian American Students; Hispanic American Students; White Students; Grade 8; Grade 4; Grade 10; English (Second Language); Disabilities; Gender Differences; Academic Achievement; Achievement Gap; Achievement Gains; High Achievement; Low Achievement; Achievement Rating; Student Evaluation; Educational Assessment; Reading Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; Evaluation Methods; Outcomes of Education; Educational Indicators; Federal Programs; Scores; Achievement Tests; Educational Testing; Educational Trends; Trend Analysis; Accountability; Educational Policy; Educational Improvement; Program Evaluation; Program Effectiveness; State Programs; School Effectiveness

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between these groups at the proficient level across three grades (grade 4, grade 8 in most cases, and a high school grade). These two types of analyses show whether elementary school achievement has generally gone up for different groups of students and whether achievement gaps at different grade levels have narrowed, widened, or stayed the same. This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Massachusetts. All major student groups showed a clear trend of gains at three achievement levels in grade 4 math, but trends in grade 4 reading were mixed. Achievement gaps narrowed more often than they widened, although gap trends in math were somewhat mixed. (Contains 7 tables.) [For the main report, "State Test Score Trends through 2007-08, Part 3: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?", see ED507909.]

ERIC

2010

ED507969