[RSCT] Black-white score gaps and black improvement rate on NAEP slows under NCLB

Tue Jul 14 13:15:47 CDT 2009

Black-White score gaps and Black rate of improvement on NAEP slows under NCLB

A new federal report shows, once again, that the closing of score gaps between blacks and whites and the rate of improvement for blacks has stagnated under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. This is true for grades 4 and 8 in both math and reading, on what is called the "main NAEP" tests. In general, gains have slowed in the 2003-07 period, when NCLB has been in effect, compared with previous periods. 

This study, when combined with the extensive evidence pointing to narrowing of the curriculum and teaching to the test caused by NCLB and high-stakes testing in general, indicates that NCLB has harmed, not helped, school reform, and has undermined progress for African American students.  

Achievement Gaps, released on July 14 by the National Center for Educational Statistics, used results from previous National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports to evaluate score gaps between blacks and whites in reading and math from 1990 to the present. This report is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pubs/studies/2009455.asp. Previous NAEP reports on its reading and math tests show similar problems for Hispanics. 

The Executive Summary of this NCES report does not take note of the slowdown in gap-closing or the rise in scores for blacks since NCLB came into effect.

Details:

(The numbers in parentheses indicate the size of the white-black score gap; whites outscored blacks at all points.)

In Math, both the rate of gap narrowing and the rate of score gain for blacks has slowed in the 2003-07 period compared with the 2000-03 period, that is from the pre-NCLB period to the NCLB period, on the main NAEP. [See figures 2 and 4, page 7.]

1. Grade 4 math, main NAEP: The gap was the same in 1990 as in 2000 (31), narrowed steadily from 1992 (25) to 2003 (27), but has not narrowed since then (the 1 point closure to 26 points in 2007 is not statistically significant). The rate of gap closing has slowed from 2000 to 2003 (3 points in 4 years) compared with 2003-07 (1 point in 4 years). Also, the rate of gain for blacks was much faster from 2000 to 2003 (13 in 3 years) than from 2003-2007 (6 in 4 years).

2. Grade 4 math, main NAEP: There was more closure from 2000 to 2003 (5 points in 3 years) than 2003 to 2007 (4 points in 4 years). The rate of absolute gain for blacks was faster in 2000-03 (9 points in 3 years) than in 2003-07 (7 points in 4 years). 

In Reading, both the rate of gap-closing and the rate of absolute score improvement slowed in both grades 4 and 8 from pre-NCLB to post-NCLB, on the main NAEP tests. [Figures 17 and 18, page 31.] 

1. NAEP main, grade 4: The gap did close 2 points from 2005 to 2007. It had remained constant from 2002 to 2005. The largest gap closing periods were 2000-02 (5) and 1994-98 (7). (At various times the gap had also widened.) Similarly, the largest gains for blacks were 2000-02 (9) and 1994-98 (8). Thus, the rate of score improvement for blacks and the rate of closing the black-white gap have both slowed compared with the 2000-02 and 1994-98 pre-NCLB periods. 

2. NAEP main, grade 8: The gap remained statistically unchanged from 1998 through 2007 (wavering between 26 and 27). It had closed 4 points from 1994 to 1998. The NCLB period is not worse than that immediately before it, but it is worse compared with the mid-1990s. Similarly, black's actual average score was statistically unchanged from 242 in 1998 to 244 in 2007. The same 2-point gain (242 vs 244) between 2005 and 2007 is statistically significant, but note that the scores were 244 in both 2002 and 2003, meaning that from 2002 or 2003 to 2007, the NCLB period, there has been no overall score gain for blacks. However, there were improvements in the pre-NCLB period: from 1994-98, the gap closed 4 points while the absolute score was up 7 points. As with grade 4 reading, NCLB represents regression compared with the mid-1990s. 

 - FairTest has analyzed previous NAEP reports that show the slowdown in NAEP gains under NCLB. C.f., http://www.fairtest.org/naep-results-produce-more-evidence-nclbs-failure from April 2009. 

Monty Neill, Ed.D.
Deputy & Interim Executive Director
FairTest
15 Court Sq., Ste. 820
Boston, MA 02108
857-350-8207 x 101
fax 857-350-8209
monty at fairtest.org
www.fairtest.org
Donate: https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk
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