Dive Brief:
- Ketcham Elementary School in Washington, DC, had 13.3% of students meeting or exceeding expectations on the English portion of the PARCC test last year and 33% of students did the same in math — up from 8.2% and 15.7% the prior year — and part of the school strategy for success includes wraparound services for students.
- The Washington Post reports the school hosts a monthly food pantry, it has a washer and dryer for student uniforms, staff members give kids rides to school or buy them backpacks and shoes, families share hand-me-downs and educators individualize strategies for student needs.
- While there is certainly room for continued improvement at Ketcham, Principal Maisha Riddlesprigger says setting ambitious goals, placing a focus on teacher development and creating lessons that incorporate real-world examples into math lessons have helped improve scores.
Dive Insight:
Schools in wealthy neighborhoods that have few at-risk families are expected to have a majority of students meeting or exceeding standards. At schools like Ketcham, 13.3% of students meeting or exceeding reading expectations can be celebrated. That disparity lies behind one of the nation’s most contentious education court cases, one being fought out in Connecticut. There, Judge Thomas Moukawsher ordered state officials to, essentially, overhaul the education system, making funding more equitable, creating greater accountability in teacher and administrator evaluations and setting clear standards for advancement and graduation. The attorney general is appealing the ruling.
Many other student advocates have sued state governments around the country, arguing the conditions and achievement data in districts with concentrated poverty prove states are not fulfilling their obligations to provide adequate public education. Time will tell whether the judiciary can force sweeping changes in response.