For the first time the Washoe County School District is releasing data that show significant achievement gaps by race. The district is beginning what it expects to be a difficult conversation.
Chief Accountability Officer Ben Hayes, presents student achievement data each year, but this year for the first time that data included breakdowns by race and gender.
“We are showing our black eyes as well as our pretty hats toda,” Hayes said.
The data shows Hispanics and African Americans performing 15-percent below the average. Hayes says he knows what’s coming next.
“What we call fierce conversations, courageous conversations and bravery come into play and you never want to know that what your institution has been working on is not working for all kids,” says Hayes.
Superintendent Pedro Martinez say one reason for the achievement gap is a form of untended discrimination.
“We over discipline our children that are for example African American, Latinos that are English language learners that are special education.”
So, while minority student misbehavior is punished, white kids who misbehave are presumed to be bored and given advanced placement. As a result white students account for 61-percent of advance placement and hispanic students only 24-percent.
New data from the Washoe County School District is showing significant gaps in achievement by gender and race. The data show minorities have low achievement in the double digits by third grade. The district has discussed the information internally for years, but is releasing it to the public for the first time to begin a difficult conversation says Chief Accountability Officer Ben Hayes.
“We know that there are institutional problems with access we know that we have to begin earlier on in the pathway and to be honest we know that we are not doing as well as we should be in some areas.”
He points to a double standard that he says is common across the country. Minorities, males in particular, are often punished for misbehaving while white students who misbehave are put in advanced placement. The district is working on a new strategic and identifying ways to help minorities. Washoe County is using St. Paul as a model. It has higher expectations for students, all teachers are qualified to teach english as a second language and there is a high teacher to student ratio.
Related Stories
Sacramento City schools superintendent discusses vaccine mandate for the district
October 21, 2021Superintendent Jorge Aguilar called the vaccine requirement “a path forward to keeping our schools open.” The mandate takes effect Nov. 30, seven months before the state requirement begins.
California education leaders discuss Black student disparities
October 15, 2021The state superintendent, other officials look at challenges, solutions to creating equity for all students and families.
Sacramento City Unified Parents Frustrated With District’s Independent Study Program
September 13, 2021Roughly 1,600 students at Sacramento City Unified schools have chosen to continue learning at home through the pandemic. But most of the kids remain without teacher assignments, and parents say the district has left many questions unanswered.
California To Require Teachers, Staff Be Vaccinated Or Tested For COVID-19
August 11, 2021California will require that all teachers and school staff be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19, becoming the first state to impose such measures ahead of the new school year.
Sacramento City Teacher’s Use Of N-Word Sparks Debate About Anti-Racist Training
July 15, 2021A Sacramento City school teacher was recorded using racial slurs in the classroom. But one question from organizers still lingers: In a district that has mandatory anti-bias training for teachers, how could this incident happen?
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.
