Can Schools Close the achievement Gap between Students from Different Ethnic and Racial Backgrounds? by Chang

Achievement Gap
There is a gap between the achievement capability of White students, Hispanic students and African American students. If all of them can access first-class learning opportunities, achievement of all students can rise. Researchers have suggested strategies to be applied to close the gap. To some researchers, the encouragement of students belonging to the minority groups to take high-track classes help close the achievement gap. Other researchers believe that if all students are able to access the enriched curriculum that is usually given to the high-achieving students, all students’ achievement will rise. No student from whatever the race should receive a watered-down curriculum. The replacement made by Rockville Centre School District and the use of previously reserved curriculum for the high-track students showed positive results (Carol and Welner 3). The de-tracking at Rockville Centre led to an increase in students’ performance and a decrease in the achievement gap between the different students’ groups.
From the second perspective, some researchers believe that a student willing to work hard can succeed regardless of his origin or socioeconomic status. Failure results from lack of motivation, effort, application, talent, and perseverance. Failure does not result from lack of opportunity. It is not possible for schools to be equalizers that we would want them to be hence children are not likely to access equal educational opportunities. A student’s effort and abilities determine his achievement.

Many students fail because of failure to take advantage of the opportunities they have and not because of his origin or socioeconomic status (William et al. 4).
From the first perspective, it is evident that de-tracking can be used to close this gap by providing equal opportunities for all students where no one student will fail due to lack of quality education. There will be no special students and minority students. From the second perspective, there is an impossibility of closing the Achievement Gap between students basing on their different origins. This is because student’s achievement does not depend on his background origin but on a student’s effort and abilities.
Works Cited
Carol Corbett Burris and Kevin G. Welner, from “Closing The Achievement Gap by Detracking,” Phi Delta Kappan (2005).
William H. Schmidt, Leland S. Cogan, and Curtis C. McKnight, from “Equality of Education Opportunity: Myth or Reality in U.S. Schooling?” America Educator (2010-2011)