One of the nation's top education researchers says low expectations for certain students and education reform fads are contributing to California's persistent achievement gap. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis reports from the Achievement Gap Summit in Sacramento.
Dr. Douglas Reeves is the founder of the Center for Performance Assessment where he compiles new research about how and why all students succeed. Speaking to an audience of 4,000 educators, Reeves laid out a list of basic reform strategies -- many of which have been around for a while. Reeves says the problem today is educators don't follow though on fundamental, systemic change. He says instead they're looking for the next quick fix.
Reeves: Challenge your colleagues when they say, 'oh we already did that. We've already had that. We want the hot new deal.' Because it’s all about implementation. And I want to get us out of the complacency that says having being exposed to something means, that we did it.
Reeves also touched on how race influences what takes place in the classroom. This is the issue State Superintendent Jack O'Connell wants all educators to focus on at the summit. Reeves believes built-in low expectations for some minority groups contributes to the gap.
O’Connell: Anybody in this room who thinks we've got race and culture figured out is smoking something. So let's just talk about, if I mess it up I mess it up, but let's just talk about it openly and honestly.
State Senator Denise Ducheny who represents the Imperial Valley and parts of San Diego County applauds O'Connell and other researchers for shedding light on the race issue, but she believes poverty still plays a bigger role when it comes to student achievement.
Ducheny: Low income families, that is who I represent both in a rural and urban context. And it is those children who are the future of the state and the future workforce and to the extent the state is not meeting the needs of those children, then we all suffer for it.
Teachers, principals and administrators from all over the state will tackle the race issue during a myriad of breakout sessions today.
In Sacramento, I'm Ana Tintocallis, KPBS News.
