Coalition Hosts a Conversation about the Achievement Gap

"Almost there" signs lined the hallway of South Orange Middle School, directing members of the community to the library for a discussion of the Academic Achievement Gap as highlighted in the National Public Radio program "Mind the Gap!" 

Hosted on Tuesday night by the Schools Committee of the Community Coalition on Race and the Seth Boyden PTA, the meeting began with introductions by Carol Barry-Austin and Sue Willis, co-chairs of the Schools Committee, and from Rhonda Wilson-Duncan, president of the Seth Boyden PTA. Wilson-Duncan explained the format of the evening: a panel discussion led by Nancy Solomon, followed by table discussions, a return to a large group discussion and closing remarks from Community Coalition on Race Executive Director Nancy Gagnier. 

Solomon, who is a member of the Schools Committee and the NPR reporter who crafted "Mind the Gap!," introduced the evening with background information about the documentary. She noted that her program considered five primary factors in the racial achievement gap. Those factors include socio-economic differences in parenting, practices and preschool; discipline and behavior, which is seen as a result of skill gaps; leveling, which is more commonly known as tracking, where students are told, in Solomon's words, "You're smart, you're not," in middle school; student self-identity, where "race inevitably plays a role;" and teaching. 

"I am excited to hear responses," said Solomon, but the hope she expressed was to take the conversation a step further. "This is about dialogue and discussion."

Janet Mandel, a veteran CHS teacher, was the first panelist to speak. Mandel contacted Solomon after "Mind the Gap!" was released because she was critical of Solomon's description of level 3 classes and teaching as "mediocre." Mandel feels that level 4 classes are too full, and many students who might be better belong in level 3 are in those classes.

Another CHS teacher, Line Marshall, spoke next. Marshall was featured in "Mind the Gap!," as she teaches many classes that combine levels. She mentioned a strategy she uses; all students in the class read the same texts, but an assessment might have three sets of instructions. Her experience is that students in lower levels have "never been asked to think before." Many are accustomed to worksheets as classwork.

CHS senior Jay Baker Johnson was asked by Solomon to speak about the relationship between leveled classes and the racial achievement gap. Johnson, who is African-American and a student in Level 4 classes, noted that leveling has limited his exposure to the wide range of CHS students. However, "I have benefited from leveling," said Johnson.

Likewise, senior Lila Tally read aloud from a college application essay, describing her first experiences in leveled classrooms. As a student at Seth Boyden, Tally, who is white, was long in the minority. In middle school leveled classes, the reverse was true. She has been in Level 4 classes since middle school. 

Donna Smith is a parent who formed a group called "Levels Can Work." She feels that "throwing out levels is not the best solution" and seeks change at the elementary school level. Smith noted that full-day kindergarten is a step towards "narrowing the gap before middle school."  

Ben Drucker, a CHS student, noted that "levels work for me" but feels that students are leveled for the "wrong reasons." He noted that some teachers are "reserved" for higher level classes.

Solomon, who remarked on the presence of many teachers and principals in the room, asked the panel again about leveling: "How it works, how it could ever work?"

Mandel replied by pointing out that, "Kids don't achieve for several different reasons." Her preference would be to have levels based on "where students, guidance counselor and parents want them to be," noting that some students need extra support in lower-level classes.

The audience broke into "Table Discussions" facilitated by members of the Community Coalition on Race's Schools Committee. Solomon introduced the starter questions for participants to address. The first question was, "What do you think is the relationship between the achievement gap and leveling in the South Orange-Maplewood school district? Is the lack of racial integration in the levels a symptom of larger problems that are causing the gap, or is it the other way around—is leveling causing the achievement gap?" The second question was,"If we can all agree that the current system is not working and that at a minimum we want fully integrated classrooms, then what would a better system look like and how could we get there?" 

Lively discussion followed among the 150 members of the audience, and the evening concluded with "Table Report Out," where facilitators summarized their table discussions. Nancy Gagnier followed with closing remarks and thanks to panelists and participants.

As participants left the building, few glanced at the signs that earlier led them to the library. The evening's discussion suggested that the signs were accurate in a geographic sense only; when it comes to eliminating the achievement gap, the community is not "almost there."