Snapshots of Reform: District Efforts to Raise Student Achievement across Diverse Communities in California. Working Paper 06-2

Achievement gaps have real consequences for students, particularly those facing the challenge of passing the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), now a requirement in order to receive a high school diploma in California. The combined 2005 CAHSEE passing rates reveal significant discrepancies between White and Asian students and their African American and Latino peers. Passing rates for the Math exam were 80% and 86% for White and Asian students respectively, and 44% and 51% for African American and Latino students respectively. Results from the English Language Arts exam show similar inequities, with 83% and 75% of White and Asian students passing and only 54% and 53% of African American and Latino students passing. In response to these disturbing trends, the authors find that some school districts in California are showing success in closing achievement gaps. This report spotlights the efforts of three districts to address inequities in achievement, and provides information about a variety of strategies that districts have found to be effective in raising achievement for diverse populations of students. The authors present a range of approaches in an effort to remind policymakers and educators that no one strategy is likely to be effective for all districts, and that much can be learned from an investigation of a combination of approaches. (Contains 11 figures.)