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GAP RAP. Dr. Ronald Ferguson, faculty co-chair and director of the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University, spoke to Tacoma teachers, parents and community members Aug. 18 at Lincoln High School about the urgency of the racial achievement gap situation facing America

Tacoma gets scoop on ‘gap’ from Harvard expert

By Clare Jensen

The achievement gap is a phrase that ha been tossed around Tacoma for the last couple years, even more so since a staff and community group visited Harvard University last November for a briefing on the topic.

The school board, district staff and education community hear it all the time. They know the achievement gap exists, and they know it is not a good thing, but in many cases that is about all they know.

Dr. Ronald Ferguson, faculty co-chair and director of the Harvard University Achievement Gap Initiative, visited with these groups Aug. 18 to tell them just about everything they wanted to know about the achievement gap: why it exists, why it is bad, and possible things they can do to curb it.

The term “achievement gap” refers to the void in academic success among white students, minorities and low-income students. Traditionally, minorities, such as blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans, as well as low-income whites, have performed worse on average academically than their middle-class white counterparts.

The phenomenon exists for a variety of reasons, according to Ferguson, but none of them have to do with student capabilities.

According to Ferguson, through an intelligence test for infants at around a child’s first birthday, studies have shown no major discrepancies in intellect among racial groups at that age.

“We’re all starting at the same place,” he said. However, by age 3 an achievement gap can be clearly seen among racial groups. That is before students even enroll in the school system, which means early childhood parenting practices are largely to blame.

Ferguson discussed with parents and community members aspects of parenting that can raise a high-achieving student, and practices that can counteract the child’s natural-born abilities.

He noted if these practices were implemented in every household, “it would very probably lead to high achievement in children from all backgrounds.”

Ideas such as creating a “high-warmth, high-demand” atmosphere, as well as thoughtful interaction and conversations with children consistently from an early age would foster a higher-achieving mindset for children as they enter and continue through school.

“They get used to doing it because they want to do it, not because someone’s making them do it.”

Ferguson pointed out that even the students that do achieve high standards in American education would not necessarily cut it in a global marketplace.

Compared to the rest of the world, American whites rank mid-way in a list of the top 33 highest achieving countries worldwide. And because the United States is becoming a non-white majority nation, and the lowest achieving groups are growing the fastest, it is crucial for all students in the nation to strive and achieve academic excellence. “For the health of the nation, we need to be moving all our children toward excellence,” Ferguson declared.

That means updating curricula at all levels, not just at early childhood. Ferguson noted that achievement in teens has been at a stalemate for the last two decades, while achievement in 9-year-olds has been growing for all groups because of a more recent emphasis on early childhood education.

“We’re doing high school the same way we’ve always done high school. Even if [the students] enter high school a little better prepared, they’re leaving high school the same,” he said. “Other countries are not standing still. We’re trying to hit a moving target.”

For teachers, he discussed ideas for making lessons relevant and challenging and fostering a supportive teacher relationship.

For the community, he discussed ways to stand in as mentors for students who may not have an enriching home life, and partner with educators to get relevant, real-world exposure in and outside of the classrooms.

“The more effectively we cultivate the seeds the more apples we’re going to cultivate, and the better apples we’re going to cultivate. What we’re here to talk about are ways to cultivate our youth.”

Through his evening lecture, he stressed the many factors that play into each child’s individual success – it is a lot of pieces, and it will take a lot of time, but it is possible – he said.

“There’s lots of work to do, but there is evidence that we can do it. There’s reason to believe we can succeed.

“No major racial equity issues dividing society – that’s what we can get to but it depends on what we do over the next decade.”

For more information on the Harvard Achievement Gap Initiative, or what you can do as a parent, teacher or a community member to increase achievement of students locally, visit www.AGI.Harvard.edu.

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