I came across this report tonight and thought it was an interesting read. I've considered how the problems of obesity and diabetes have cut deeper and wider through the lives of lower income Americans. It looks like there is a similar relationship when it comes to lack of services for high achieving students and the gifted.
http://www.jkcf.org/assets/files/0000/0084/Achievement_Trap.pdfIt's long but these parts stood out.
At the K-12 level, educators should view the findings in
this report as a wake-up call, a signal that we are failing
not only low-income students scoring below proficiency,
but millions of students poised to achieve excellence.
These findings raise a provocative question: Have we as a
nation actually set our sights too low in our recent education
reforms?
Because the core achievement goal established by NCLB requires
schools to meet certain objectives regarding the number of students
assessed to be proficient, the law does not set any standards related
to students performing at advanced levels. As a result,
NCLB creates no incentives for schools to maintain or
increase the number of such students or to collect data on
advanced learners.
As policymakers, educators, civic leaders, and business
leaders consider whether, and how, to strengthen and continue
NCLB and related educational policy, they should
pay close attention to research demonstrating that improving
the academic environment for high-achieving students
can benefit the entire student population.
The time is ripe in the United States
for a discussion about whether schools
should be held accountable not only
for meeting proficiency standards but
also for the performance of students
at advanced levels.
