The Current Debate: NCLB and Minority Students

Source:Howell, Jessica S. "What Influences Students' Need ForRemediation In College? Evidence From California." Journal Of HigherEducation 82.3 (2011): 292-318. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6Mar. 2015.

"...minority and low socioeconomic status college students participate in remedial course-taking in greater proportions than their representation in higher education would suggest (Attewell, Lavin, Domina, & Levey, 2006; Ignash, 1997)" (Howell 292).

"Students who...[fail placement tests]...are placed in remedial courses and required to achieve general education proficiency within one year in order to continue at CSU...failure rates on these exams vary substantially by race/ethnicity. In 1993...failure rates on the ELM were 90% for African American students and 81% for Hispanic/Latino students, compared to 68% for White students (Irving, 1995)" (Howell 298-9).

 

Source: “PBS Frontline: Learning Matters: Testing Our Schools.” Prod.and Ed. John D. Tulenko. Correspondent John Merrow. PBS. Youtube.com. 18 April 2012. Web. 10 March 2015. 

“One of the reasons [we teachers] are so opposed to the test…it actually doesn’t if you’re teaching and learning. It tests what you come to school with, so it’s really based on your socioeconomic level. It filters out anything a teacher teaches during the school year” (“PBS Frontline: Learning Matters”).

 You can see in the images in this video that the students referenced in this quote are almost entirely African American, “In Richmond…just 5 of the 54 schools…have passed the state test…passing those tests is the last thing on their mind. They are worried about whether they are going to have food on their plate…whether someone is going to be shooting a gun at their house” (“PBS Frontline: Learning Matters”). 

“In high poverty districts like Richmond, most schools are still struggling, but in rest of Virginia, there is reason to celebrate” (“PBS Frontline: Learning Matters”).

“George Madaus is a testing expert at Boston College, ‘We know that certain populations are poorly served, that there are certain schools that are not doing a good job…you are not going to test your way out of those problems’” (“PBS Frontline: Learning Matters”).