Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap
How to Measure Equity in Our Schools
Foreword by Anne Wheelock
One of the primary goals behind the standards and accountability movement is to narrow the achievement gap between low-income, minority, and other students. Educators need the tools and resources to analyze complicated sets of data and then utilize the data to improve student learning. This book is a comprehensive resource that trains educators to analyze data and use it to advance an equity agenda, all with the goal of creating a school culture of high standards and equity. It gives educators the tools to measure disparities in student achievement for diverse populations and examines school practices that hinder equity in education. The book contains numerous tools, including questionnaires, surveys, forms, and instruments.
"Dr. Johnson’s work provides both the philosophical and practical blueprint for transforming public schools into the learning communities we want and need. Leaders will find the book to be the most useful document to guide and inform their efforts to close the gap and maximize learning for all students."
"If the goal of all students reaching high standards is to be met, Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap should be required reading for all teachers and administrators. It should also be an integral part of the course of study for those preparing to teach in the United States."
"With this visionary and user-friendly resource in hand, all educators—teachers, counselors, and administrators—can and must make data part of a lifelong practice to ensure high achievement for all students."
"From her penetrating analysis of current research, policies, and practices, and her wealth of experiences working with school districts around the nation, Johnson clearly makes the connection between using data and achieving equitable outcomes as districts and schools struggle to close the achievement gap."
"This book represents a significant contribution to the national debate around school reform. Ruth Johnson presents a thoughtful, well-documented treatise on how educators, policy makers, and parents can use data to set achievement goals and measure school progress toward these goals."