Viewpoints Vol. 9

Bridging the Great Divide:
Broadening Perspectives on Closing the Achievement Gaps

NCREL Tools and Resources for Closing Achievement Gaps

NCREL has developed a wide array of tools and resources that can be used to address various aspects of the achievement gaps. These tools and resources can be applied to school-, district-, and state-level priorities. They provide avenues to address multiple aspects of the achievement gaps.

School Improvement Web Sites

These Web sites allow districts and schools to (1) look at disaggregated achievement patterns for minority, limited-English-proficient, and low-income students; and (2) take the first step in comparing student performance to districts or schools with similar student populations. Districts or schools can ask the question: What are other districts or schools doing to raise academic performance among minority, limited-English-proficient, and low-income students? In the NCREL region, the following school improvement Web sites are currently available:

• Illinois School Improvement (ILSI) Web site



• Wisconsin's Information Network for Successful Schools (WINSS) Web site



• Indiana's Accountability System for Academic Progress (ASAP) Web site



• Minnesota's Connecting Learning and Accountability for Students and Schools (CLASS) Web site

Closing the Achievement Gaps Web site
Recognizing that there are many achievement gaps in education today, NCREL is focusing work in research, policy, and practice arenas on the gaps in which student achievement can be predicted by characteristics such as race and income. This Web site provides information about the achievement gaps, strategies and tools, and NCREL's work in closing it.

Literature Library on Closing the Achievement Gap
The Literature Library on Closing the Achievement Gap is a collection of articles examining the causes, conditions, and explanations for achievement gaps. The articles answer three major questions: What are the achievement gaps? Why do the achievement gaps exist? Can the achievement gaps be overcome? The expert-reviewed articles used to create the library are available in the bibliography.

enGauge™: A Framework for Effective Technology Use in Schools
The enGauge™ Web site is an online framework that helps schools and districts plan and evaluate their systemwide use of educational technology. It presents a comprehensive view of critical factors—including equity—that strongly influence the effectiveness of educational technology for all students. The enGauge framework provides online assessments to help schools and districts gauge their progress with learning technology and develop an informed plan of action. It is geared for K-12 administrators, technology coordinators, K-12 teachers, educational policymakers, and educational researchers.

Technology Connections for School Improvement: Planners' Handbook
and
Technology Connections for School Improvement: Teacher's Guide
Technology Connections for School Improvement has two parts: a Planners' Handbook and a Teacher's Guide. The Planners' Handbook describes eight overarching dimensions of the technology planning and implementation process. These eight dimensions can help technology planners develop vision and policy, analyze technology needs, focus on student-centered learning, involve parents and community, support professional development, build a technology infrastructure, establish multiyear funding strategies, and evaluate process and outcomes.

The Teacher's Guide is designed to assist individual classroom teachers who are just beginning to integrate technology into their daily practices. It addresses issues that teachers face as they operate within the context of a schoolwide improvement effort using technology to meet technology literacy and standards-based learning goals.

Children Learning With Technology Beyond the School Bell and Building: What Do We Know Now?
Before- and after-school programs, summer school, community technology centers, and public libraries are increasing children's opportunities to learn outside the regular school day, school year, and school building. Through an extensive review of print and online sources, NCREL found that these programs also are increasing children's opportunities to learn with, and about, technology. Although relevant research and evaluation are increasing, there is still much to find out about children learning with technology beyond the regular school day and about the educational differences created by such learning.

Understanding the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Quick Key Series
Since passage of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, NCREL has worked diligently to build the capacity of the region to respond to and comply with the legislation. NCREL presents the Understanding the No Child Left Behind Act: Quick Key Series, available online or in hard copy, to help educators and policymakers understand the basics of various components of the NCLB Act, including Reading, Opportunities for Schools in Need of Improvement, Technology Integration, and Mathematics and Science.

Family of Learners CD-Rom
The Family of Learners CD-ROM is a compilation of information, research, landmark articles, and activities to be used by educators, parents, and community members as they work together to improve student learning. This ambitious compilation is based on the premise that children become educated, successful, and happy individuals through the combined efforts of parents, guardians, family members, teachers, administrators, and other members of the community who come together over time for children's benefit.

Professional Development: Learning From The Best
This toolkit for schools and districts is based on Model Professional Development Award winners. It takes the best practices of 20 award-winning schools and organizes them into a step-by-step planner for designing 18 and implementing professional development. It also describes specifically the schools' strategies for getting teachers involved.

Pathways to School Improvement Web site
The Pathways to School Improvement Web site synthesizes research, policy, and best practices on issues critical to educators, parents, and community members involved in school improvement. The content is put together in a user-friendly format for teachers, administrators, and other practitioners. Topics include at-risk students, assessment, family and community, and technology in education, to name just a few.

Curriculum Mapping Web site
NCREL's Curriculum Mapping Web site is an interactive site designed to assist districts in their efforts to map out new mathematics and science curricula. It provides comparisons of rich international mathematics and science curriculum maps from top-achieving nations.