Closing Achievement Gaps
Achievement gaps are known as discrepancies in the achievement of specific groups of students when compared to the overall student population. These discrepancies can be seen when looking at student achievement data and persist over time. Groups affected by achievement gaps may be based on sex, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or other differences. It is the job of the school counselor to take action in identifying and closing achievement gaps. Identifying achievement gaps can be done by disaggregating student data. To disaggregate data is to separate it on the basis of a certain characteristic, such as separating the scores of females and males on a standardized math test. After disaggregating the data in this way, school counselors can then compare data to determine what differences are present. If one group appears to consistently lag behind the other, an achievement gap has been identified.
Once identified, school counselors should create a closing the gap action plan, including the goal of any interventions that will be delivered, the target group for these interventions, and the data that was used to identify these students as needing assistance. This plan should also detail the ASCA domains and standards that will be addressed, the interventions that will be delivered, resources needed, the beginning and end dates for interventions, and an explanation of the data that will be collected. In a similar manner, a closing the gap results report should also be completed at the end of intervention implementation. This should include all of the information on the closing the gap action plan, as well as implications for the intervention. In other words, it should provide information on whether or not the intervention accomplished the target goal and how results from this intervention might inform future interventions.
Closing achievement gaps may at times be a long and difficult process. Gaps may occur for a number of reasons. Sometimes students underachieve due to common cultural factors that are at time incompatible with traditional school norms. Other times the problem may lie in the way that students are treated or taught differently at the school, district, or state level. Solutions may be as simple as allowing students' voices to be heard, or as difficult as recreating policies at the school, state, or district levels to promote equity for all students. To close achievement gaps, school counselors must be able to create and implement useful interventions for all students, as well as be willing to advocate for students and, when necessary, to lead the charge in making changes within the school system to benefit all students.
Once identified, school counselors should create a closing the gap action plan, including the goal of any interventions that will be delivered, the target group for these interventions, and the data that was used to identify these students as needing assistance. This plan should also detail the ASCA domains and standards that will be addressed, the interventions that will be delivered, resources needed, the beginning and end dates for interventions, and an explanation of the data that will be collected. In a similar manner, a closing the gap results report should also be completed at the end of intervention implementation. This should include all of the information on the closing the gap action plan, as well as implications for the intervention. In other words, it should provide information on whether or not the intervention accomplished the target goal and how results from this intervention might inform future interventions.
Closing achievement gaps may at times be a long and difficult process. Gaps may occur for a number of reasons. Sometimes students underachieve due to common cultural factors that are at time incompatible with traditional school norms. Other times the problem may lie in the way that students are treated or taught differently at the school, district, or state level. Solutions may be as simple as allowing students' voices to be heard, or as difficult as recreating policies at the school, state, or district levels to promote equity for all students. To close achievement gaps, school counselors must be able to create and implement useful interventions for all students, as well as be willing to advocate for students and, when necessary, to lead the charge in making changes within the school system to benefit all students.