Cherokee and Black Hawk among 20 Wisconsin schools recognized for narrowing achievement gaps

Cherokee Heights and Black Hawk Middle Schools are two of 20 Wisconsin schools recognized by Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services for having significantly narrowed the achievement gap between higher- and lower-performing student groups during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years.

Madison is the only district with two schools that have significantly narrowed at least one achievement gap between student groups. And Cherokee is the only one that was able to narrow the gap among multiple student groups.

"We are very pleased that the accomplishments of Cherokee and Black Hawk Middle Schools have been recognized," said Madison Superintendent Art Rainwater. "Closing the achievement gap for all of our students is one of the critical goals for all our schools, and these two schools exemplify the progress being made across the district."

Cherokee narrowed the gap between Hispanic and white students, while also narrowing the gap between its economically-disadvantaged students and all students. Black Hawk narrowed the gap between its economically-disadvantaged students and all students.

The 20 schools are located in 19 school districts throughout the state.

This is the first year Standard & Poor's conducted an achievement gap analysis in Wisconsin.

"It is difficult to narrow achievement gaps," explained Thomas Sheridan of Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services. "However, this analysis shows that there are a number of schools that have made outstanding progress. Their success should be commended, and their practices should be more closely examined to illuminate the strategies that can be implemented by educators in other parts of Wisconsin who are working hard to raise the performance of all students."

To be recognized for significantly narrowing these achievement gaps, schools had to meet all of the following criteria:

• test at least 30 students in each student group being analyzed;
• reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in Reading and Math Proficiency (RaMP(tm)) rates by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise the RaMP rates for each student group being compared; and
• reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in a grade-level reading test by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise that grade-level reading proficiency rate for each student group being compared. Schools must demonstrate similar progress in math, though not necessarily at the same grade level. For example, an elementary school might reduce the achievement gap between black students and white students in third grade reading by at least five percentage points while raising reading proficiency rates for both black students and white students, while doing the same in fifth grade math.

To see how many percentage points and in which grades each school narrowed these gaps, consult the analytical report on Wisconsin's achievement gaps, located on the Wisconsin homepage at SchoolMatters.com.

Other Related Links

• SchoolMatters.com