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• Year 2007

SACRAMENTO — One day following the annual release of statewide test scores, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell held a meeting with educators and local community leaders in Sacramento to talk about confronting the achievement gap that persists between students who are African American or Latino and their peers who are white or Asian.

The following is the text of O'Connell's remarks as prepared:

"Yesterday I released the results of statewide test scores for public school students in grades two through eleven, and I began by saying that the results were both encouraging and concerning. On the one hand, public schools in California have made steady, significant gains over the past five years — thanks to high standards, thanks to our hardworking educators who teach those standards in the classroom, and thanks to a system of accountability that shows just how well our students are achieving.

"But while California's 6.3 million public school students are clearly doing better today than they were five years ago, the numbers also tell a story that's not as easy to talk about. That is the story of the glaring, persistent, and deeply troubling achievement gaps in our system. Racial achievement gaps that show African American and Latino students are not succeeding as well as they need to be, and are not succeeding nearly as well as their white and Asian peers. Once again, our annual test scores shine a glaring light on the disparity in achievement between students who are African American or Hispanic and their white or Asian counterparts.

"We know all children can learn to the same high levels, so we must confront and change those things that are holding groups of students back. The achievement gap is a fact that California simply cannot afford to accept – morally, economically or socially.

"Now, it's no secret that students who come to school struggling against poverty face more challenges, and educators have worked hard to address those challenges in a whole variety of ways. But while you'll often hear lower achievement by African American and Latino students explained away as a result of poverty, the results show this explanation not to be true. In fact, African American and Hispanic students who are not poor, are achieving at lower levels in math than their white counterparts who are poor.

"Let's look at students who are not socioeconomically disadvantaged. In math, the overall percentage of white students scoring at proficient and above in math — 56 percent — up by 5 points since 2003; what about African American or black students?

While these students have gained 6 percentage points in the past five years, only 30 percent scored proficient or above in 2007. What about Hispanic or Latino students not socioeconomically disadvantaged? Thirty-six percent proficient, compared with 56 percent for white students, and an impressive 76 percent for Asian students.  

"These are not just economic achievement gaps, they are racial achievement gaps. We cannot afford to excuse them; they simply must be addressed. I have made it my top priority to do so, and you'll be hearing much more about this issue in the coming months. I know that irrespective of race, socioeconomic status or language background, all students can meet proficiency on assessments of California's rigorous academic standards.

"In order to reach this goal, we must continuously improve the progress of all California students and at the same time accelerate the achievement rates of those who lag behind. I have appointed a statewide council, the P-16 Council, to examine this issue closely, to work with educators up and down this state. On November 13 and 14, I'll be hosting an Achievement Gap Summit here at the Sacramento Convention Center, where thousands of educators from throughout California will be hearing about and working together on strategies for closing the achievement gaps. I hope to see many of you there.

"My P-16 Council will not only look at school curriculum, teaching strategies, and supports before and after school. We'll also look at the expectations we have of our students – in our classrooms, in our homes, and in our neighborhoods. We will be having courageous conversations about race, and where we need to go as a society, in our schools, and in our communities to help all of our students succeed.

"Today I'm asking you, as educators from throughout the Sacramento region and members of the Sacramento community, to join me in this effort. We all have a stake in closing the achievement gap. We'll be continuing this conversation throughout the year both at the Summit and around the state, and I hope all of you will contribute to these discussions. Together, we'll be looking at all the factors that might inhibit the learning of students. The P-16 Council has grouped these factors into four major themes we can think of by the acronym ACES — access, culture and climate, expectations, and strategies.

"We'll be asking tough questions about how to ensure all students gain access to what they need, such as highly qualified teachers and extra learning opportunities. Questions about school culture, environment and expectations … we must ask ourselves: do we really hold high expectations for all students and all teachers? Are high expectations apparent in everything we do in our schools, in our communities, and our homes? We'll be examining strategies that are effective or promising for closing the gap.

"There will not be one answer, and there will be no simple, quick solutions. It will take all of us to do this work, and it won't always be a comfortable process. But I'm excited about the challenge because I know we can succeed.  

"I believe in the ability, in the talent, and the dedication in our public schools. And I believe all California communities care enough about their children and their future to do whatever it takes to close the achievement gap."