TCAP results show racial divide
Black students in Warren County are scoring significantly lower than their white and Hispanic peers on standardized achievement tests, according to data recently released by the state Department of Education.
In many of the subject areas tested on the 2002 TCAP achievement tests local blacks students scored between 15 and 30 percentage points behind their white counterparts. In two subject areas, (fifth grade math and science) the gap reached as high as 35 points.
“These scores serve first to make us aware of the problems we face,” said Dianna Zadeh, the school system’s Director of Testing, ESOL and Equity. “They will help us have better focus in determining our particular weaknesses and ensuring that no child is left behind.”
Since the inception of the TCAP program, the state Department of Education has released the entire state’s scores every year, as well as those of school systems and individual schools. This year was the first, however, that it determined and released scores by ethnicity, gender and socio-economic status.
This was done in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act which calls for, among other provisions, gains to be made in achievement scores of such traditional low performing sub groups as minority and low socio-economic group students. Change is not expected overnight, however.
Zadeh said since this is the first year the school system has had access to the sub group information change, she and other school officials will initially spend their time breaking down the data even further. “We are going to have to look very closely at all of the sub groups to figure out if our problems are particular ones or if they extend across the board,” she said.
School system Director of Instruction Bobby Cox said next year’s tests will be criterion reference tests, the results of which will give school officials base line data to better work with, showing them specific areas that need improvement. Until those results come in, he said, officials will focus on bringing up the scores for all students in core skills, such as reading and writing.
Warren County school officials are not the only ones determining how to close the inequity gaps. State Department of Education numbers also show blacks trailing behind their white and Hispanic peers, poor students trailing their more affluent peers and boys trailing girls across the state.
More information and TCAP scores by race, gender and socio-economic status for every school system in the state can be seen at www.state.tn.us/education.