A San Diego County education report shows black and Latino students are still lagging behind whites and Asians in eighth grade math classes, but they are making some progress. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The county's Achievement Gap Taskforce finds roughly 30 to 35 percent of blacks and Latinos are succeeding in advanced eighth grade math classes, an increase of 12 percent from last year. However, Asian and white students are still way ahead. The report says 70 percent of Asians are doing well and 65 percent of whites.
Taskforce chairman Don Phillips : These are significant gains, but they're only the start. And the work is not done until we get 100 percent up and over that bar.
Phillips says the taskforce will urge districts to provide more qualified teachers, targeted instruction and additional learning time to help poor and minority students.
The report also took a look at whether more black and Latino students are passing the math portion of the state's high school exit exam.
It found 98 percent passed this year, an increase of 6 percentage points from last year.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
