The Achievement Gap...and What to Do About It

The Achievement Gap

What is the Achievement Gap

The Achievement Gap is the disparity or difference between the performance of groups of students, students defined by gender, or race and socioeconomic or financial status. Mostly the Achievement Gap can be measured a variety of ways, including standardized test scores in school, grade point average, dropout rates, college enrollment rates. And mostly measured between White, Black and Hispanic students. The Achievement Gap can also be measure in gender, for example, males dominate the engineering and science fields and math fields of study in college. We must ask ourselves early on, as parents, why is that? We must question ourselves as parents on how do we even if we are low income, minority how do we narrow or close that gap in learning and achievement.


What is the cause of the Achievement Gap

While there is no clear cause of the Achievement Gap, cultural competency and parent involvement in the educational lives of students or lack thereof is closely tied to the gap in grades and ability between African American and White children of the same age. Others believe is the culture or environment in which children are raised plays a major role in the gap in achieving in school.

Some may argue that Black parents begin educating their children later than White parents. That is why it is imperative that Black parents begin working and teaching their students, the basics before age 4. Not just the A, B, Cs and 1, 2, 3s; but exposing them to cultural events outside of their community. Museums, the zoo, library, parades, festivals, camping, airplane rides, train rides, trip to the beach, spending the night in a hotel, having a picnic, going fishing, having a tea party, taking a cruise, attending a ballet, attending the local high school productions, even if you have no children in high school. These are a few cultural ways to expose your children even before they attend kindergarten.


How do African American and Latino Parents solve the Problem:

When your child is born, decide what type of educational life your child will have. A child cannot learn to read, write, tie shoes, talk, sing, without the help of parents and adults. Children should know these skills before they even begin school. I am going to say this over and over again…..teach your children to read, write, spell and adding and subtracting even before they attend kindergarten.

Talk to your kids in a calm, patient positive manner. Set clear limitations and boundaries at an early age. If you have a strong-willed child; you must be more persistent as a parent.

Teach your child early and they will have a love for learning. Always introduce new ideas and concepts, books, daytrips, educational television shows, etc. Make sure you have family time. If you have several children, make sure each one has “mommy and me” time together with you. This time is not just for small children, my son is 18 and we still have mom and me time. We usually start off at the bookstore, he will buy a book or sometimes a magazine, we will go to lunch or if money is low, we pack our lunch at home and bring a blanket to the park or we will have dinner at the food court in the local mall in the weather is too bad to be outside. The idea is to talk and listen to each other and have fun.

Have fun with your children, don’t see them as a bother….see them as an asset to your life and the life of your family.

Here are a few Tips to Closing the Achievement Gap at Home:
Parents should begin teaching colors, shapes, letters, numbers and beginning sight words by age 2.

Children should have mastered colors and shapes, names of animals, objects, places and know most uppercase letters by age 4.

Teach your child to read early, poor readers, read less, less reading equals less knowledge of words.

Teach your kids the meaning of words they don’t know or understand early

Expose your children to cultural/family events outside of your community as much as possible. Museums, zoo, library, festivals, parades, fishing, picking apples or strawberries, having a picnic in the park , camping in tent or cabin, eat together, shop for groceries together, reading books, etc.

Build their knowledge of the world around them.

Talk and listen to your child often.

Read picture and story books; ask questions after readying (why did the dog run down the road) (what color was the girl’s hair), etc.

Pay attention to how much TV your child watches and what your child is watching. Watching MTV or BET at age 3 will not close the Achievement Gap in your home.

Practice basic math skills, adding, subtracting, story problems, etc. (1+3=?) and( 8–2=?).

Purchase low cost workbooks according to your child’s age and ability.

Teach your child to use their imagination and teach them to love to learn and have fun doing it.