Today's Date: June 4, 2023
Cupshe Celebrates 8th Birthday with Exclusive Collection in Collaboration with Chanel Iman, Heather Rae El Moussa, and Brittany   •   Tips for a smooth transition to senior living from the San Luis Obispo assisted living professionals   •   Puma Biotechnology Announces Presentation of Biomarker Findings from a Phase II Study of Alisertib with Paclitaxel versus Paclit   •   Four-Year Outcomes from Phase 3 CheckMate -9LA Trial Show Durable, Long-Term Survival with Opdivo (nivolumab) Plus Yervoy (ipili   •   Nucleai and Mayo Clinic BioPharma Diagnostics Announce Strategic Collaboration to Transform Digital Pathology for Drug Developme   •   Air Canada's Inaugural Amsterdam-Montreal Route Takes Off; Uplifts Sustainable Aviation Fuel in Amsterdam   •   Statement by the Prime Minister on Canadian Armed Forces Day   •   Promoting Diversity and Equity in Cancer Research, Women Leaders in Oncology® and Vaniam Group Announce Recipients of 2023 Y   •   Dorsett Wanchai Marks World Environment Day 2023 with Bold Paperless and Plastic-Free Sustainability Initiatives   •   Reigniting the Cancer Moonshot: Massive Bio Joins CancerX as Founding Member to Accelerate Innovation and AI Implementation in C   •   New PATHFINDER Study Analysis Demonstrates Efficient Diagnostic Resolution Following Multi-Cancer Early Detection Testing   •   Government of Canada releases summary of actions taken to address the safety and wellbeing of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBT   •   TAGRISSO® achieved unprecedented survival in early-stage EGFR-mutated lung cancer, with 88% of patients alive at five years   •   ELAHERE® Demonstrates 35% Reduction in the Risk of Disease Progression or Death Versus Chemotherapy in FRα-Positive Pl   •   Statement by the Prime Minister to mark four years since the publication of the final report of the National Inquiry into Missin   •   High Schooler empowers Youth with Nonprofit "Unlimited Potential", raises $100,000 for Sports Medicine Research and Advocacy   •   Promising Data for Investigational Innovative Bispecific Ivonescimab Featured at ASCO 2023   •   Research Results from Ontada HOPE Studies Presented at ASCO 2023 Illuminate How Social Determinants of Health Impact Different P   •   Bijou Ikli named new CEO by Florida Assisted Living Association   •   Natera Announces Data from the ProActive Study that Supports Prospera™ Kidney as an Early Indicator of Transplant Rejectio
Bookmark and Share

Achievement Gap To Disappear In 40 Years

 PITTSBURGH, PA – A+ Schools, Pittsburgh’s community alliance for public education, today released its Sixth Annual Report to the Community on Public School Progress in Pittsburgh. The report provides parents, community leaders and others interested in public education with a fair and comprehensive look at the progress of each school in the  Pittsburgh Public School District.

“Overall, we see progress in schools across the district. We have good examples of district and charter schools that are educating students to high levels. But there is much more work to be done, especially in our high schools,” said Carey Harris, A+ Schools executive director. 

According to Harris, more students scored in the proficient and advanced ranges for reading,math and writing compared to four years ago — until they reached high school, where 11th grade scores declined. Students in grades 3-5 and 6-8 made the same or greater gains than students across Pennsylvania in all subjects. Although 11th graders across the state experienced a decline in writing similar to the district’s students, they gained in math and reading — which was opposite of Pittsburgh’s 11th graders. 

The good news is that the achievement gap — the difference between the percentage of black and white students who scored proficient or advanced on the PSSAs — has narrowed, albeit slowly. Since the 2006-07 school year, the gap has narrowed in both reading and math and black student achievement has increased. 
 
Still, Harris said she is troubled by the overall lack of progress in the high schools and the stubborn racial achievement gap. She also noted the continuing decline in enrollment — a loss of more than 3,000 students over the past four years. 

“Gains made in earlier grades are disappearing in high schools. That threatens our youth’s future prospects for achieving the Pittsburgh Promise, college or job training, and becoming independent members of our community. These issues deserve our urgent attention,” she said. 

Other findings in the report show:
• Magnet schools (whole school magnets) again had much higher percentages of proficient/advanced students overall, plus much higher percentages of proficient/advanced low-income and black students.
• Charter schools generally have higher percentages of black students who are proficient/advanced in both reading and math.
• High schools have the largest achievement gaps in the district.
• Schools with more stable populations are more likely to have higher achievement.
• Student attendance has a direct impact on student achievement.

Published annually, the A+ Schools Report to the Community provides information on PSSA achievement based on the Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System (PVAAS), which analyzes whether or not selected grade levels in a school have made at least a year’s worth of progress, regardless of the starting point. The A+ report also shows how students performed across the four PSSA score ranges by race and family income status. 

Harris urged the Pittsburgh community to review the report as a tool for asking questions and seeking information about the quality of city schools. A+ Schools will mail the report this week directly to 20,000 city households with children enrolled in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and children ages 5 and under. In addition, the report will be available in local libraries, city schools and at elected officials’ offices, or by calling A+ Schools. The report also can be accessed online at www.aplusschools.org.


A+ Schools is an independent community advocate for improvement in public education. Its vision is a community mobilized to improve public education to produce successive generations of young people who thrive and who build their families and futures in Pittsburgh. Its purpose is to be a community force advancing the highest educational achievement and character development for every public school student in Pittsburgh.

STORY TAGS: BLACK, AFRICAN AMERICAN, MINORITY, CIVIL RIGHTS, DISCRIMINATION, RACISM, , RACIAL EQUALITY, BIAS, EQUALITY, culture

Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News