Sacramento Bee- Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
July 14, 2009

Cal's black-white student achievement gap wider than average

As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders wrangle over whether to cut state spending on schools as part of a deficit-closing package, federal education authorities released a new compilation of academic test score data today, indicating that California's gap between achievement by black and white youngsters is wider than the national average.

The National Center for Educational Statistics report revealed that both black and white eighth-graders in California score below national averages in reading, and the gap between the two groups, 29 points, is three points above the national gap. On a 0-500 scale, California's white eighth-graders are at 266, four points below the national average for whites, and the state's black eighth-graders are at 237, seven points below the national average for blacks.

The eighth-grade gap is even wider when it comes to mathematics. Again, both groups score below the national averages for their grade and race, and the gap between them in California is 35 points.

The picture is only a bit brighter among fourth graders in California. White students are scoring somewhat above the national average in reading but blacks are well below average, although the gap between the two groups has narrowed somewhat since 1992, from 36 points to 27 points currently (2007 data). The gap has also narrowed markedly over the years in mathematics achievement, from 39 points in 1992 to 29 points in 2007.

"While the report released by the NCES today does not provide new data about California student achievement, it does provide a stark reminder of the prevalence of the achievement gap here and across the countr," state schools Supt. Jack O'Connelll said. "The achievement gap is a real threat to the economic well-being of millions of students as well as to our state and national economies. We have put ourselves in a permanent national recession by failing to close these gaps."

"I realize that these are extraordinarily difficult economic times for schools," O'Connell continued, "but we cannot let budget cuts distract us from our goal of closing the gap and helping all students meet their full potential. We owe it to our students -- and to our state -- to stay the course."

California ranks below the national average in per-pupil spending, although how far below is a subject of intense political debate, and educational advocates contend that slicing billions of dollars from state school appropriations will put the state further behind in academic achievement, while their critics say much of the money is being squandered on administrative overhead and too-generous salaries and fringe benefits for teachers and administrators.

The full NCES report is available here.

Posted by Dan Walters