February 26, 2013

Leveraging investments to close the achievement gap

Feb. 26, 2013 at 10:16 AM | By Emily Kissane | Comment Count

As addressing the achievement gap has climbed towards the top of the U.S. education agenda, school districts and various levels of government have targeted policies and funding as a remedy. A sampling of those initiatives shows extensive investments of time and resources at all stages of a student’s education:

Early childhood programs to make sure that children are ready for kindergarten
All-day kindergarten to give children access to more learning opportunities
Interventions to ensure that all children can read by the third grade (and, in an increasing number of states, policies that don’t promote students to fourth grade until they demonstrate proficiency)
Requirements that every student complete Algebra I by eighth grade
Programs that promote early college awareness
High stakes testing to document achievement gaps, to inform policies, and practice
Concurrent Enrollment, early college, and other programs that give students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school
Financial aid to increase access to higher education
Bridge programs to improve the transition between high school and college
Remediation for students who need an additional course to be ready for college-level work
Initiatives to encourage students to complete their degree or credential programs
Incentives for stopped out students to return to college and obtain degrees or credentials.

A natural question to ask is how these diverse programs connect with one another to create successful outcomes for students. But from the students’ perspective, we need to do more than simply connect the dots to make the most of educational experiences and opportunities.

Students do better academically when they are actively engaged in planning for their futures and have ownership of their achievements. A structured and ongoing planning process—one that includes exploration of interests, understanding of learning style, and tracking steps to graduation and beyond—gives a more complete picture of what a student needs in order to be successful in K-12, higher education, and the workforce.

When students, parents/guardians, and educators are engaged in the process, plans become effective tools to target interventions where more support is needed, accelerating students who are ready to move ahead. Plans can connect the dots between the programs listed above, but the picture is different for each student and provides a personalized guide to success.

What other ways can we leverage our investments in closing the achievement gap? How do we ensure that students are engaged in the process?