D.C. Setting School Achievement Targets By Race

Educators say goal of proficiency for all students by 2014 was not realistic

Teaching professionals in the nation’s capital say they are changing their approach to closing the achievement gap among students of different races and ethnicities. In Washington and around the country, goals for black, Hispanic and poor children tend to be lower over the next five years than they are for white and Asian students. Under the new approach, low performing students will be required to make larger annual gains than high-achieving students. Teachers hope to cut the achievement gap in half by 2017. The policy shift has some parents worried in D.C., where many schools enroll predominantly African American students from impoverished neighborhood. “It’s ridiculous to even believe that if you expect less from someone, you’re going to get more,” said a D.C. parent with children in the public school system. (Washington Post)

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