After the Test: Closing the
Achievement Gaps With Data
Kiley Walsh Symonds
Bay Area School Reform Collaborative
2004
The primary goal of this study was to examine and compare two
groups of schools: one group that demonstrated progress in closing
the achievement gaps and one group that did not. Thirty-two
schools were selected for study across the six counties of the
San Francisco Bay Area. Evaluators collected data through the
use of surveys to all 32 schools to inventory the policies and
strategies being used. Three schools with data to show they
were closing the achievement gaps significantly were selected
and researched through interviews, observations, and document
review as case studies. Finally, focus groups were conducted
with teachers and students from six gap-closing schools. The
findings suggest several areas on which the gap-closing schools
focused in order to improve the achievement of students of color.
Schools that closed the gaps used data to drive school improvement,
and provided professional development and support for teachers
to use data. These schools also dealt with issues of race directly
and fostered an environment that was supportive of discussions
about race. Leadership was important in this area. Finally,
gap-closing schools focused their efforts around a few specific
issues (such as literacy) rather than trying to implement a
wide variety of programs.
Download an Adobe® Reader® (PDF
1.4 MB) version of After the Test:
Closing the Achievement Gaps With Data.
