Kentucky Department of Education

NEW ACHIEVEMENT GAP DOCUMENT RELEASED

The Commissioner's Raising Achievement/Closing Gaps Council (CRACGC) has released a new document that is designed to help parents and community members become engaged in schools and districts with useful knowledge of the expectations KDE has for its schools with regard to the achievement gap

This document is referenced in the new state board regulation, 703 KAR 5:220, the regulation related to school and district accountability recognition and support.  The guidelines are designed to be parent-friendly so they are aware of what is expected of the schools and districts.  It also provides, as its name implies, guidelines that schools and districts can follow to help ensure that students receive a quality, consistent and, equitable education.
Click here to read more and download a copy of the new guideline.

In Kentucky we believe that ALL children can learn at high levels regardless of their ethnicity, ability, gender, socio-economic status, native language, or whether they have a disability. So, if ANY student in ANY class is not performing according to the state's high standards and expectations, an achievement gap exists.

The achievement gap is defined as "a persistent, pervasive, and significant disparity in educational achievement and attainment among groups of students as determined by a standardized measure. When analyzed according to race and ethnicity achievement disparities negatively impact educational outcomes for poor and children of color on a consistent basis." -- Pearson, 2001

"… it is a moral imperative, no child ought to graduate in Kentucky schools as a novice learner." -- Gene Wilhoit, Kentucky Commissioner of Education

Not only is it a moral imperative, reducing the achievement gap is a necessity if ALL schools and ALL students are to reach proficiency by 2014. In Kentucky there can be NO EXCUSES for failure, only reasons for student success in our public schools.

NO EXCUSES, JUST RESULTS

"We can whenever and wherever we choose successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whether we do must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven't so far." -- Ron Edmonds, 1973

Click here to view NCLB Sec 1117 (b) (2) Schools for 2005 - 2006

Over the past four years we have seen many advances and improvements in some of our schools.  Their success has not only been evident in minority populations but has focused on the continuous progress of all students.  We want to share what we have learned:  All Means All, and we know how to make it happen!

Additional Topics and Resources:
Partnership for Minority Student Achievement
Brown Versus Board of Education
CREDE-Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence


Stakeholders in Closing the Achievement Gap
Because we are all stakeholders in our young people, in their education and in their physical and social development, we will all have to work to close the achievement gap. Each of us has an important role to play if we are to succeed in reducing and eventually eliminating the achievement gap.

We will face many challenges along the way. But we can, and we must make an effort to ensure that in Kentucky ALL children can master a level of achievement which will make them productive members of society and the realization of our hope for the future.