Dec. 8, 2005

The stark statistics are sobering: • Only two-thirds of New York 's freshman class of 2000 actually graduated from high school in four years. • While 80 percent of white fourth-graders met state standards for reading, only 54 percent of the state's African-American students did. • By the end of high school, African-American and Latino 17-year-olds read and do math at the same level as white 13-year-olds.

"This state has the biggest gaps in achievement in the entire nation," said Kati Haycock, director of the Education Trust, speaking to several hundred education, business and government leaders at the Summit on New York Education. "These are not meaningless statistics. Two to three years difference is a huge life-changing matter."

The question posed to movers-and-shakers at the summit was direct: How will you commit to closing the achievement gap?

New York State United Teachers President Dick Iannuzzi rose to the challenge. "I commit to use the strength of our statewide union — all of its publications, lobbying efforts, board of directors and local union presidents — to push the issue of urgency," Iannuzzi said. "We know what works. Now we have to fast-forward our efforts to do what's right for kids." (See Iannuzzi's column.)

Iannuzzi and other leaders were challenged to make a commitment at the culmination of the November summit held in Albany and sponsored by the University of the State of New York.

USNY is made up of all public and private institutions offering education in the state, including libraries, museums and public broadcasting.

"The gaps are unjust," said Education Commissioner Richard Mills, who chaired the event. "The gaps are not smart economic policy.

"Our job here is not just to listen to the speakers," Mills noted. "At the end of the day, we'll share commitments. What will you do, with your organization behind you, to close the gaps and raise achievement?"

In her remarks, Haycock cautioned those who might think the U.S. compensates for early gaps in education by having the best higher education system in the world or "sending far more of our young people to college" than anybody else. In reality, she said, China is graduating eight times as many engineering students as the U.S. and India five times as many. In the global race, our top 5 percent of students in math rank only 23rd internationally.

Money matters

While the union has continuously pushed for improved education funding for pre-K through higher ed for more than 20 years, the summit should re-ignite the campaign to adequately fund our schools, Iannuzzi said. NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira noted that funding issues must be resolved to close the achievement gap in New York , where the state is appealing a court order in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case requiring billions more for needy schools.

Haycock said the organization of the current educational system only exacerbates the achievement gap. "How do we do that? By giving students who arrive with less, less in school, too."

Indeed, New York 's gap in per-student funding between high-poverty and low-poverty districts is the highest in the nation: $2,040 per student. To put it more dramatically, this gap translates into $55,375 less for the typical 25-student classroom, or nearly $1.05 million less for the typical 400-student elementary school.

Low-income students are four times as likely to be taught by teachers not certified in any of their assignments (17 percent vs. 4 percent). Students of color are three times more likely to be taught by teachers who failed licensing exams at least once (21 percent vs. 7 percent).

"The results are devastating," Haycock said. "Kids who come in a little behind leave a lot behind." These patterns apply to high school completion and college entry/graduation.

Success stories

Moving from the informational to the inspirational, Haycock assured participants that real progress is possible and gaps can indeed close. She cited schools around the country that have made great progress in educating poor and students of color to high academic levels.

"These schools work to silence the dangerous belief that student achievement has more to do with a child's background than with the quality of education a child receives," Haycock said. "On a daily basis, these educators show that all children, no matter what their background, can achieve academic success."

Each year Haycock's nonprofit group names five schools for "Dispelling the Myth" awards. This year's recipients, honored at a ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, included one New York school: Long Island 's Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High.

At Elmont, most ninth-graders become seniors and every senior graduates, with most going on to attend four-year colleges, Haycock said. Seventy-five percent of the students there are African-American, 12 percent are Latino. One out of four students are low-income.

Another success story cited was University Park Campus School in Worcester, Mass., where most students enter seventh grade reading well below grade level, but by 10th grade they all pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, most at proficient and advanced levels. Two-thirds of the students complete at least one college course while in high school; all graduates go on to college.

"Worcester, where more than 70 percent of the students are poverty level and 50 percent are English language learners, finished the fifth most successful school in Massachusetts, surpassing students in way more affluent schools," Haycock said.

In the coming months, New York Teacher will share success stories of schools that have made significant strides, along with ongoing coverage of the achievement gap.

"We are committed to sounding the alarm on this urgent issue," said Neira, who oversees NYSUT's Department of Research and Educational Services. "The sobering statistics on graduation rates and student progress demonstrate that New York has an achievement gap that threatens our children's future and the future well-being of our state."

— Sylvia Saunders

NYSUT.org. Copyright New York State United Teachers. 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, New York, 12110-2455. 518.213.6000. http://www.nysut.org.