ETW Press Releases

New Education Trust—West Study Reveals Stunning Inequities in Access to Effective Teachers for Latino, African-American and Low-Income Students in Nation’s Second Largest School District

OAKLAND, CA (January 12, 2012) – Today, The Education Trust—West releases the findings of a two- year-long study of data from the second largest school district in the nation, revealing profound inequities in access to effective teaching.  In Learning Denied: The Case for Equitable Access to Effective Teaching in California’s Largest School District, The Education Trust—West finds that low-income students and students of color in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) are less likely to be taught by the district’s top teachers – the very teachers capable of closing the district’s achievement gaps. These inequities are exacerbated by teacher mobility patterns and quality-blind layoffs.

“This is one of the largest and most comprehensive analyses of this type ever completed, accounting for over 17,500 teachers and more than a million students,” said report co-author Carrie Hahnel, Director of Policy and Research at The Education Trust—West. “We were able to quantify the impact of effective teachers on student learning. We looked at the extent to which students of color and students in poverty had access to effective teachers, and we also looked at the impact of quality-blind teacher layoffs.”

The report reveals that:

  • Teachers have the potential to dramatically accelerate the learning of their students – with the average student taught by a top 25% teacher (top quartile in terms of value-added) gaining half a year more of learning in English-Language Arts and four months in math than a student placed with a teacher in the bottom 25% (bottom quartile).
  • Second-graders who started off behind academically and then had three top quartile teachers accelerated to academic proficiency, while students with consecutive bottom quartile  teachers remained stuck below grade level.
  • Commonly used measures of teacher quality, such as years of experience, are poor predictors of effectiveness in the classroom. While teachers do improve over time, the differences among teachers are far greater than those between teachers at different levels of experience.  For example, the difference between a 10th-year teacher and first-year teacher is only about three and a half weeks in ELA and two and a half weeks in math.
  • Effective teachers are inequitably distributed in LAUSD with Latino, African-American and low-income students much less likely to have access to top-quartile teachers. In addition, these top teachers are more likely to leave the district’s highest need schools. 
  • Quality-blind teacher layoffs in 2009 resulted in the removal of high value-added teachers from the highest need schools. If the district had instead laid off teachers based on effectiveness, only about 5 percent of the ELA teachers and 3 percent of the math teachers actually cut by LAUSD would have been laid off.

“These findings should be cause for both optimism and deep concern,” said Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The Education Trust—West, a statewide education advocacy organization. “We now know that great teachers have the power to help students catch up when they’re behind.  But you can’t catch up when you don’t have access to the best teachers.”

The report reveals that a low-income student is more than twice as likely to have a low value-added ELA teacher as a higher income peer, and 66 percent more likely to have a low-value added math teacher.  Latino and African-American students are two to three times more likely to have bottom-quartile teachers in math and ELA, respectively, than their white and Asian peers. 

“Access to effective teaching is life-changing for students in our communities,” said Yolie Flores, Communities for Teaching Excellence CEO and former LAUSD Board Member. “And because we know that having an effective teacher three years in a row can literally help us close the achievement gap for poor students and students of color, we must make every effort to make sure that these students have equitable access to the most effective teachers.” 

 According to the report, state and local policies can prevent students from accessing the most effective teachers or cause students to lose access to these teachers. The report recommends that district and state leaders invest in high-quality evaluation systems to identify effective teachers and those who are failing to improve student performance. It calls for developing programs and policies that attract and retain the best teachers in the highest need schools, offering teachers the high-quality professional development that leads to gains in student achievement, and fundamentally reforming state policies that prevent local leaders from making decisions in the best interests of students. This includes ending once and for all quality-blind, “last in, first out” (LIFO) teacher layoffs.

“This report should be a wake-up call for leaders in California and throughout the nation that access to effective teaching is the education civil rights issue of our time,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles.  “To close the achievement gap, we must prioritize student needs first through state and local reforms and attract top teachers to our highest need communities, support their growth, and keep them in the classroom.”

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The Education Trust—West Issues Statement in Response to Gov. Brown’s January Budget

OAKLAND, CA (January 6, 2012) – The Education Trust—West issued the following statement in response to Governor Brown’s January budget release:

Yesterday, the Governor released his January budget. In what has become an unfortunate pattern, this Administration has focused its cuts on our state’s most vulnerable children, slashing the safety net both inside and outside our schools. All of these cuts – from the $4.8 billion education trigger cuts to the elimination of transitional kindergarten to cuts to child care and social services—will hurt children, especially children of color and low-income children. We should not have to remind the Governor that these communities now constitute a significant majority of California’s students, and in the future, will represent the majority of our state’s working population. While we are encouraged by the Governor’s proposal to spend our education dollars based on the needs of students through a weighted student formula, it certainly would not offset the damage caused by this budget’s inequitable cuts.

Improving Teacher Evaluation in California

Most teachers say they teach because they love their students, and because they love helping them to learn. And it shows. Research shows that the single most important school-based factor in improving student academic performance is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. Students who have strong teachers year after year soar academically. 

Unfortunately, too many teachers—from those who are the best in the state to those who are growing professionally— receive limited feedback, whether it is praise for a job well done or constructive feedback to help them grow in their craft. 

This is because for far too long our teacher evaluation systems have been shaped by an array of state laws, district policies, union contracts, and local practices that, when combined together, prevent teachers from receiving high-quality evaluations. Teacher evaluations are often approached as little more than the tedious act of filling out a form when, in fact, they should be seen as an opportunity for teacher mentoring and development. 

The good news is there are better models being developed right here in California. Today, The Education Trust—West and Teach Plus Los Angeles release Improving Teacher Evaluation in California, an important resource to help teachers learn about new, more useful teacher evaluation processes being developed and implemented in forward-thinking districts and charter schools across the state. Take a moment to read about how Los Angeles Unified School District, the College-Ready Promise, and Lucia Mar Unified School District are each improving teacher evaluations as a critical way to improve both teaching and student outcomes.

We believe evaluation systems should enhance teacher development and guide the professional support our educators deserve. If you agree, please share this resource with your teacher networks. Together, we can take action and begin the tough work of improving California’s broken teacher evaluation system. It all begins with you.

The Education Trust—West Statement on the Nation’s Report Card Results for California

OAKLAND, CA (November 1, 2011) – The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveals that the performance of California’s fourth and eighth-grade students on the NAEP reading and math assessments has slowly improved from 2003. Yet, when you peel back the layers of data, a more comprehensive picture emerges.  California still has a long way to go, particularly for students of color and students in poverty. Achievement gaps between students of color and their white peers have remained relatively unchanged over the last two decades. And the gap in 4th grade math performance between Latino and white students has actually grown larger since 2000, from 27 to 30 points.

New Ed Trust—West Report “Turning Back the Clock” Spotlights the Negative Impact of Shortening California’s School Year on Students; Calls on State Leaders to Prevent Cuts to Critical Learning Time

OAKLAND, CA (October 31, 2011) – Today, in coordination with a broad range of advocacy organizations, the Education Trust—West, releases Turning Back the Clock: The Inequitable Impact of Shortening California’s School Year. The policy brief highlights research findings that confirm the critical importance of increased classroom time for improved student achievement, particularly for students in poverty and discusses the negative impact of decisions made to shorten California’s school year.  

The Education Trust—West’s Statement on President Obama’s Plan for Waivers to NCLB

OAKLAND, CA (September 22, 2011) – The Education Trust—West issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement that it will provide states with the opportunity to apply for waivers to No Child Left Behind (NCLB):

“President Obama’s announcement of an application process for waivers of No Child Left Behind provides California with an unprecedented opportunity to improve our education system to better serve all students. Our state’s leaders have been consistently critical of NCLB and asked for relief from its requirements without presenting a real vision for closing California’s persistent achievement gaps. They now have the flexibility to develop a new accountability system focused on cutting our state’s achievement gaps in half. They also have an opportunity to reform our broken teacher evaluation system and guarantee access to college and career ready curriculum for all students. In a state where students of color and low income students represent the majority of our student population, closing opportunity and achievement gaps and implementing critical reforms should be our leaders’ top priorities. California’s future and our students’ hopes and aspirations depend on the willingness of our state leaders to be courageous enough to turn this unprecedented opportunity into a reality.”

Ed Trust—West Statement on 2011 Accountability Progress Report (APR) Results

Oakland, CA – The Education Trust—West issued the following statement in response to the California Department of Education’s (CDE) release of the 2011 Accountability Progress Report results:

The APR results released today by the California Department of Education make one thing clear: we need to do more for our state’s Latino, African-American, and low-income students.   

Both California’s accountability system, the Academic Performance Index (API), and the federal accountability system of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) indicate that far too many California schools are failing to adequately educate their students—especially the low-income students and students of color who now comprise the majority of our state’s student population.

Ed Trust—West Statement on 2011 California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Results

OAKLAND, CA (August 24, 2011) – The Education Trust—West issued the following statement in response to the release of the 2011 California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) results today:

The Education—Trust West is encouraged by some of the results of the 2011 California High School Exit Exam. More students than ever are passing the CAHSEE by twelfth grade, with all groups of students passing at higher rates. In particular, passing rates for African-American students have increased more than any other group. The percentage of African-American students passing the CAHSEE has steadily increased since 2006 by 7.2 percentage points for an overall rate of 91 percent. Latino and economically disadvantaged students are passing the CAHSEE by their senior year at similar rates.

Student Achievement in California: Ed Trust—West Statement on 2011 STAR Data

OAKLAND, CA (August 15, 2011) – The Education Trust—West issued the following statement from Executive Director Arun Ramanathan in response to the release of the 2011 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) results by the California Department of Education (CDE) today:

This year’s STAR data demonstrate how far we still have to go in our effort to educate all California students to their fullest potential. Over the last eight years, we have seen slow, incremental growth in the achievement of low-income students and students of color, who now represent the majority in our state’s public schools. The sad truth is that wide achievement gaps still persist between African-American and Latino students and their white peers.

In 2011, less than half of California’s African-American, Latino, and low-income students from grades 2 to 11 scored at or above proficient on the English-language arts California Standards Test (CST), compared with 71 percent of their white peers. Some of the most disheartening results reflect how little we have done to serve the needs of our 1.5 million English-learners: only one out of five scored proficient or advanced on the English-language arts CST. In mathematics, the outcomes for similar groups of students are just as dismal.

Given the minimal growth in student performance during both good and bad fiscal years, it is clear that our state leaders must do more to prioritize the needs of our underserved students, regardless of the budget climate. As tough budget decisions will continue to present themselves, we encourage state leaders to work with a variety of stakeholders to enact the high-impact reforms that will close the persistent achievement gaps that have plagued our education system for far too long.

Putting Our Children's Learning Needs First!

Recently a group of twenty civic and education advocacy organizations wrote a letter to Governor Jerry Brown asking him to repeal three provisions of AB 114. This last-minute piece of legislation signed by the Governor prohibits school districts from cutting programs or personnel to balance their shrinking budgets and proposes decreasing instructional time by up to seven days should the state fall short of projected revenues. AB 114's restrictions could lead to California being a state with one of the shortest school years in the nation.

New CALPADS Data Reveal Accurate California Graduation and Dropout Rates for All Students; Shows Unacceptable Results for Students of Color and English Learners

OAKLAND, CA (August 11, 2011) -- Today’s release by the California Department of Education (CDE) of the state’s graduation and dropout rates has good news and bad news. The bad news is clear: The data show that California students, particularly low-income students, students of color, and other high-need populations, graduate from high school at alarmingly low rates. The good news is that for the first time, the graduation and dropout rates are accurate, transparent, and are no longer estimates, thanks to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System, or CALPADS.

This year’s data tell us even more about student performance. The data show that three out of four (74%) of our state’s students are graduating from high school in four years, and that 18% drop out. Sadly, the news is far worse for the state’s African-American and Latino students, who graduate from high school at abysmally low rates—59% and 68%, respectively. Nearly one out of three (30%) African-American students and nearly one quarter (23%) of Latino students drop out. We also now know that 68% of low-income students, 57% of students with disabilities, and 56% of English learner students graduate in four years.

New Book Provides School Leaders with Tools for Preparing All Students for College and Career

OAKLAND, CA (August 3, 2011) – In her new book, Diploma Matters: A Field Guide for College and Career Readiness (Jossey-Bass; $29.95; ISBN13: 978-1-118-00914-7; August 2011), Dr. Linda Murray provides practitioners and advocates throughout the nation with a practical set of tools to transform schools so that all students have the opportunity to achieve their college and career aspirations.

The book is a must-read for anyone interested in education reform. It describes how district and school leaders can examine the current high school experience of their students to expose barriers to college and career readiness. Furthermore, it provides practitioners with a detailed action plan to transform curriculum and course-taking patterns so that all students have the choice to attend college.

New Analysis Finds Few California Students Are Prepared for College and Career and Reveals Widespread Student Tracking; Ed Trust—West Calls for High School Reforms, Equity for All Students

 
OAKLAND, CA (July 25, 2011) – California’s prosperity has long depended on the quality of its workforce, yet California’s high schools are falling short when it comes to preparing students for college and career.  Indeed, just three quarters of students earn a high school diploma. Among those who do, few have completed the coursework needed to provide genuine college and career options.

Today, The Education Trust—West releases a new report, Unlocking Doors and Expanding Opportunity: Moving Beyond the Limiting Reality of College and Career Readiness in California High Schools, based on six years of work in school districts across California. The report finds that only five in ten graduates were college-ready in the districts studied and presents data finding that only one in ten graduates were both college and career-ready. Latino, African-American, and low-income students fared far worse than their more advantaged peers. The report calls for a more integrated and equitable approach to college and career preparation so that high schools serve to open doors to both college and career options for all students.  

Ed Trust—West Condemns Potential Cuts to Education in Proposed 2011-12 Budget; Implores State Leaders to Find a Budget Solution That Protects California’s Highest-Need Students

(OAKLAND, CA)  Dr. Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The Education Trust—West, issued the following statement regarding the proposed 2011-12 budget:

“While Democrats slap each other on the back for their ‘budget’ deal and Republicans applaud their efforts to prevent any tax increases, California’s poorest students are once again getting a raw deal from our state’s leadership.  The potential budget deal is based on Wizard of Oz assumptions that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  If that pot of gold does not materialize, our poorest students and most vulnerable communities will once again take the brunt of state budget cuts through inequitable approaches such as shortening the school year.  It is long past time to develop a real budget solution that solves the boom and bust cycles of California’s state budget.  We have seen courageous Democrats and Republicans in other states forging the difficult compromises and showing the visionary leadership necessary to confront entrenched interests and solve their states’ fiscal crises.  As long as California’s children and communities are at the mercy of lawmakers beholden to special interests from public employee unions to taxpayer associations, we will continue our pattern of smoke and mirrors budgeting.  The result will always be reprehensible cuts that force our children to pay the long-term price for our current dysfunction.”

 

More than Just Seniority: Tools to Help You Fight for the Rights of Students and Communities

By now, you are probably well aware that nearly 20,000 California teachers received a layoff notice telling them that they may be out of a job in the fall. State law requires districts to issue teacher layoffs based on seniority—how long they’ve been teaching.  This means that newer teachers are more likely to be laid off first regardless of how effective they are in the classroom or the needs of their school and community.

The damaging impact of this system on teachers, schools, and students was recently documented by our report, “Victims of the Churn.”  We found that schools serving the highest number of low-income students were more likely than others to experience layoffs. As a result, the students most in need of stability and great teachers become victims of the churn – a revolving door of teachers.

Even now there are ways for districts to lessen the impact of layoffs on our highest need communities. We have put together a set of tools to help you act on students’ behalf:

  • “Exceptions to the Rule: Protecting school communities from the unequal impact of seniority-based layoffs” is a two-page resource guide on the existing rights that school districts can use to protect their highest-need students from the impact of seniority-based layoffs.
  • A web tool will help you predict which schools in your district are at highest risk of seniority-based layoffs.
  • A collection of media clips that covers the devastating effects of seniority-based layoffs on students to highlight a growing awareness in ending this harmful practice. 

Find these tools here: More than Just Seniority: Fighting for the Rights of Students and Communities.  

Ed Trust—West Applauds Prioritization of K-12 Funding in Governor Brown’s May Budget Revision; Deeply Concerned About Cuts to State Education Data Systems

(OAKLAND, CA) The Education Trust—West issued the following statement regarding the release of Governor Brown’s May Revision:

The Education Trust—West is pleased that Governor Brown has chosen to limit further cuts to education in his revised budget.  However, we remain concerned about the continuing budget shortfall and hope that a compromise can soon be forged that results in the long-term budget solution vital to our students and schools.

Ed Trust—West Issues Statement Regarding the Latest 2010-11 California English Language Development Test (CELDT) Results

(OAKLAND, CA) The Education Trust—West, a statewide education advocacy organization that works to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement for students of color and low-income students, issued the following statement regarding the release of the results of the 2010-11 California English Language Development Test (CELDT) by the California Department of Education earlier this week:

The release of data from the California Department of Education (CDE) showing a decline in the performance of English Learner (EL) students on the CELDT is a cause for profound concern. However, the CDE’s statement on this data raises even greater concerns. The release gives Californians the impression that our state is making reasonable progress in serving its English Learner students, while attributing this setback to the ongoing budget crisis. The data tell us a different story.

Ed Trust—West Grades and Ranks California’s Large, Unified School Districts to Reveal How Well They Are Serving their African-American, Latino and Low-income Students

(OAKLAND, CA) Today, The Education Trust—West launches its California District Report Cards website featuring a new online tool and releases an accompanying publication titled, A Report on District Achievement: How Low-income, African-American, and Latino Students Fare in California School Districts.  Both provide grades and rankings for the state’s largest unified districts on four indicators that reveal how well they are serving their Latino, African-American, and low-income students.  Through this unique online tool, the public can look up any one of the 146 largest unified school districts across the state to learn more about the overall performance, improvement over time, size of achievement gaps, and college readiness rates for these students. 

New Ed Trust—West Report Shows the Damaging Impact of Teacher Layoff Policies on California’s Highest Need Schools and Students

(OAKLAND, CA)  With school districts across California announcing budget cuts and plans for massive teacher layoffs, a new report by The Education Trust—West titled, Victims of the Churn: The Damaging Impact of California’s Teacher Layoff Policies on Schools, Students and Communities in Three Large School Districts, shows the negative impact of California’s teacher layoff policies on students in high-poverty schools in three urban school districts.  These students were found to bear more than their fair share of the pain when it comes to teacher layoffs, with their schools 65 percent more likely to have a teacher laid off than a low-poverty school.  Some high-poverty schools lost more than 15 percent of their teachers.  (As seen on NBC San Diego)

View more videos at: http://www.nbcsandiego.com.

The Education Trust—West Comments on Governor Brown’s Proposed January Budget

(OAKLAND, CA) – Dr. Arun Ramanathan, executive director of The Education Trust—West, issued the following statement regarding the release of Governor Brown’s proposed budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year:

“The proposed budget by Governor Brown identifies painful cuts in education. These could be worse without legislative action and public approval of a potential proposition to extend tax increases - both of which have been difficult to secure in the past.”

“We are deeply concerned about the cuts to education and the potential for deeper cuts. Over the past three years, our state’s budget has been balanced on the backs of our children.  These cuts have disproportionally impacted students of color and students in poverty by increasing class sizes, cutting summer school and eliminating intervention programs that support student learning in districts across California.  For far too long, our education decisions have been made based on adult interests, not the needs of students.”

Ed Trust—West Urges New State Leaders to Prioritize Ending the Dropout Crisis; Highlights Urgent Need for Accurate Statewide Data on Full Extent of Crisis

(OAKLAND, CA)  The Education Trust—West issued the following statement regarding the latest data on dropout and graduation rates:

The latest education data collected for the first time through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and released yesterday by the California Department of Education (CDE) reveals that the dropout rate remains at crisis levels for the state’s Latino and African-American students.

According to the data, students of color, primarily Latino and African-American students, remain sharply overrepresented as a share of the state’s dropouts in 2008-09.  Latino students, for example, who now equal half of California’s public school students, comprised 57 percent of all dropouts.  Meanwhile, African-American students, who represent 7 percent of public school students, comprised 14 percent of dropouts. 

Our new state leaders should be appalled by these numbers.  We call on them to make a public commitment to ending this crisis once and for all by closing the opportunity and achievement gaps that are the cause of the dropout crisis. 

ETW Statement on Ed Trust’s For-Profit Colleges Report; Too Many of California’s Low-Income & Students of Color Left with High Debt, No Diploma

(OAKLAND, CA)  The Education Trust—West issued the following statement today regarding the release of a new report on for-profit colleges and universities by its national office, The Education Trust:

In California, for-profit institutions are growing at a rapid rate in a time when state support for higher education is declining.  In opening their doors to—and often directly targeting—disadvantaged students, these schools offer the promise of college and career opportunities. But how effectively are they fulfilling students’ dreams of a great career, and at what cost?

In The Education Trust’s newly released report entitled, ‘Subprime Opportunity: The Unfulfilled Promise of For-Profit Colleges and Universities,’ the sharp increase in enrollment at for-profit universities is clearly presented.  The number of students enrolled nationwide in for-profit colleges has increased 236 percent over the past 10 years. 

For-profits serve a large proportion of students from California’s underserved communities and communities of color.  In 2008, 29 percent of students in California for-profits were from low-income backgrounds, and 31 percent were African-American, Latino, or Native American.  While for-profit institutions have the potential to provide more access to higher education, the report illustrates a crisis in lost opportunities.  For-profit graduation rates are appallingly low.  Only 27 percent of first-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students in California, who enroll full-time in for-profit institutions actually graduated after six years.

The Education Trust—West Issues Statement on Passage of California Budget

(OAKLAND, CA) The Education Trust—West issued the following statement regarding the passage of a budget for the state of California:

“The Education Trust—West is pleased that our state leaders have passed a state budget package.  However, after waiting 100 days through the state’s longest-ever budget impasse, we expected more.  This budget falls far short of the real solutions we need to solve our state’s annual budget deficit.  With K-12 education and other social services receiving the most severe cuts, our neediest children and families will once again bear the greatest sacrifice. Now more than ever, we must invest in our children or we risk the future of California.  We are long past the time for excuses and truly hope that our next Governor and Legislature can work on finding sustainable, long-term budgetary solutions that allow us to put kids first.”

EQUITY ALERT: As White House Convenes Summit on Community Colleges, New Equity Alert Reveals Too Few California Students Transfer to Four-Year Institutions

(OAKLAND, CA)  As the White House convenes the first-ever Summit on Community Colleges today, a new Equity Alert by The Education Trust—West reveals that an inexcusably low number of California community college students actually transfer to a four-year institution in order to earn a bachelor’s degree.  The Equity Alert, titled California Community Colleges: Lost in the Path to a Bachelor’s Degree, focuses on a cohort of those students who showed intent to transfer to a four-year college. According to the findings, after two years, only 6 percent of students system-wide who have shown an intent to transfer to a four-year institution were actually able to do so.  In particular, the rates of transfer for African-American and Latino students are unconscionably low. Only 4 percent of African-American students and 3 percent of Latino students who show intent to transfer actually transfer after two years.

Ed Trust—West Applauds Signing of Legislation to Help California Schools Identify Students at Risk of Academic Failure or Dropping Out

(OAKLAND, CA) The Education Trust—West applauds Governor Schwarzenegger for signing Senate Bill 1357 into law yesterday.  Authored by Senate President pro tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), the law includes attendance data in California’s longitudinal data system and moves the state towards the development of the attendance-based early warning systems that are critical for identifying students at risk of dropping out or graduating with low-levels of college or career readiness. 

Statement by California’s Leading Child Advocacy Groups on Budget Standoff

           

 

(OAKLAND, CA) – Enough is enough.  California’s state budget is now more than 80 days overdue, marking the record for the longest budget impasse in our state’s history.  Today, California’s leading advocacy groups, including Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), Californians for Justice Education Fund, Children Now, Education Trust—West, InnerCity Struggle, and Public Advocates call on state leaders to pass a budget that protects education and provides funding for other critical services for children in poverty and their families.

New Ed Trust—West Reports Dissect the Continuing Crisis in Achievement and Opportunity for African-American and Latino Students in California Schools

(OAKLAND, CA)  Two new reports from The Education Trust—West, a statewide education advocacy organization, demonstrate the disturbing impact of California’s failure to close opportunity and achievement gaps plaguing African-American and Latino children who together now make up almost 60 percent of the state’s student population.  In Opportunity Lost: The Story of African-American Achievement in California, 2010, and Futures At Risk: The Story of Latino Student Achievement in California, 2010, the group reveals a number of local school districts successfully dispelling the myth that African-American and Latino students cannot perform at grade-level or make great gains toward proficiency.  The reports call on California policymakers to no longer be satisfied with convening task forces that highlight problems everyone knows exist, and recommend that state leaders instead focus on finally implementing high-impact solutions that have long been avoided or ignored.

Statement by Ed Trust—West on California’s Losing Bid for Race to the Top

(OAKLAND, CA) – Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the second round Race to the Top winners.  California was not on the list of recipients.  It is estimated that the state lost $700 million for much-needed education reforms. 

“We are deeply disappointed by California’s loss," said Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The Education Trust—West, a leading statewide education advocacy organization.  "Although our second round showing was much stronger, the early indication is that strong legislative support for teacher effectiveness reforms separated the winners from the losers."

Put in a larger national context, California has 6.2 million students— roughly half of whom qualify for free or reduced lunch.  There are more students of color in California schools than most other states have students.  If our nation is serious about closing achievement gaps and enhancing our global competitiveness, then California must become a leader in education reform.

“In order to win Race to the Top, our state Legislature should have done more to reform our antiquated and counter-productive teacher evaluation system," continued Ramanathan.  "I leave it to the opponents of reform in Sacramento to explain why they left a $700 million check for our schools on the table."

Student Achievement in California: Ed Trust—West Statement on 2010 STAR Data

OAKLAND, CA (August 16, 2010) – Results from the 2010 Standardized Testing and Reporting Program (STAR) released today by the California Department of Education (CDE) show marginal statewide improvement across most grade levels and content areas.  Since last year, the percentage of students at or above the proficient level increased by two points in English-language arts (ELA) and two points in mathematics.  While there have been measured gains over the last eight years, we still have much work to do.

Data Reveals Alarming Disparities in Achievement Among Asian American and Pacific Islander Students in California Schools

OAKLAND, CA (August 12, 2010) – In advance of the upcoming California Standards Tests (CST) results, The Education Trust—West is releasing Overlooked and Underserved: Debunking the Asian ‘Model Minority’ Myth in California Schools, a new policy brief detailing alarming disparities in achievement that exist among subgroups of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students.  Issued jointly with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, the brief finds the state is under-serving students by not recognizing the full diversity of its AAPI communities.  Most disturbing, opportunity gaps are being exacerbated by the state’s failure to collect and report comprehensive, critical student achievement data.

Statement by The Education Trust-West on California State Board of Education's Adoption of the Common Core Standards

OAKLAND, CA (August 2, 2010) The Education Trust—West applauds the unanimous vote of the California State Board of Education and the decision to adopt the Common Core Standards.

California has long been a national leader in both standards and assessments.  We, at the Education Trust-West, have long been advocates for increasing the rigor of our standards and graduation requirements with the goal of ensuring that all of our high school graduates have a true choice between college and career.  We have consistently highlighted the opportunity and achievement gaps that prevent so many students of color and students in poverty in our state from achieving the goal of college and career readiness. Over the past eight years, we have relentlessly pressed on our state’s leaders to close those opportunity and achievement gaps and live up to the promise of our rigorous standards.

While we understand that the adoption of the Common Core will not by itself close those opportunity and achievement gaps, we do believe that adoption of the Common Core is an important step in the right direction.

Statement by The Education Trust on President Obama’s Speech at the National Urban League Conference

WASHINGTON (July 29, 2010) – President Obama captured the essence of what’s at stake for our country when he said earlier today, during a speech at the National Urban League’s annual convention, “If we want success for our country, we can't accept failure in our schools.”

As a nation, we can no longer accept schools in impoverished communities that fail their students year after year, when we know that no middle-class neighborhood would ever tolerate it.

We can no longer accept evaluation systems that deem virtually every teacher in a school to be excellent, while half of our black and Hispanic fourth graders possess reading skills that are below basic.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on California's Selection as Round Two Race to the Top Finalist

OAKLAND, CA (July 27, 2010) – Today, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the finalists for Round Two of the Race to the Top Competition.  The Education Trust—West is pleased that California has been selected as one of 19 finalists.  The nod from the U.S. Department of Education means California still has a shot at a portion of $4.35 billion in federal education stimulus dollars.

The Race to the Top Competition has been a driving force for education reform in California.  After a disappointing finish in the first round, our second round application used a collaborative approach, leveraging the best thinking from a group of reform-minded California school districts.

Prioritizing Effectiveness, Not Seniority Critical for Schools Disproportionately Hit by Teacher Layoffs

OAKLAND, CA (June 3, 2010) – As California policymakers attempt to address the disproportionate impact of seniority-based layoffs on high need schools, a new brief by The Education Trust—West called Effectiveness, Not Seniority contends that attempts to correct this inequity must prioritize teacher effectiveness.  The brief argues that solutions to this problem must ensure that high need schools can retain their most effective teachers.

Future of California’s Student Data System in Question after State Fails to Win Key Grant

(Oakland, CA) – Last Friday, California learned that it lost yet another critical opportunity for federal funds to support education reform— this time $20 million for data systems.  According to the California Department of Education, securing a grant from the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) would have supported the state’s effort to further develop and implement a longitudinal system linking data across time and databases, from early childhood into career, including matching teachers to students while protecting student privacy and confidentiality.

California's Neediest Students Will Take Brunt of Proposed Budget Cuts

(Oakland, CA)  – Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger released his revised budget plans for the fiscal year 2010–2011.  Although the Governor proposed no additional cuts that would directly impact the classroom, The Education Trust—West remains deeply concerned about the cumulative effect of two straight years of devastating cuts to public education overall.

It is evident that California’s neediest students and their families will endure the collective brunt of all the budget reductions proposed thus far.  The consecutive loss of education funding, c

Crisis in California's Chronically Underperforming Schools Continues

(Oakland, CA) – The state released its API base rankings today and one thing is clear, California’s schools continue to demonstrate vast disparities in achievement, particularly among chronically underperforming schools serving thousands of Latinos, African-Americans, and English learners.

Across the state, the 2009 API base data from the spring 2009 statewide tests reveal a familiar picture:

  • African-American and Latino students substantially trail their white and Asian peers across all grades.
  • Roughly 150 points separate African-American students from their white peers (670 compared to 827, respectively).
  • API scores decrease for all subgroups from elementary to middle and high school.

API scores and rankings for California’s persistently underperforming schools, which serve high concentrations of students of color and students in poverty are even more discouraging. These schools are almost exclusively Latino (75%) and African-American (14%), with 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced price lunch. After an infusion of state dollars in both good and bad economic times, these schools should have improved outcomes for our most vulnerable students.

Keeping the Promise of Change in California's Lowest Performing Schools

(Oakland, CA) – According to a new report by The Education Trust—West,
Keeping the Promise of Change, California has thrown more than $265 million over the last six years at its bottom five percent of Title I schools in a series of unproductive “reform” initiatives.  These reforms have skimmed the surface of school improvement, while producing minimal gains for the thousands of African-American and Latino students trapped in drop-out factories throughout the state.  Now these schools and other low performers are eligible for tens of millions in new school improvement funding from Washington, D.C.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on California's Intent to Apply for the Second Round of Race to the Top

(Oakland, CA) – After much speculation as to whether or not California would drop out, The Education Trust—West commends California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Gloria Romero and state education leaders for formally announcing a new strategy to win a share of $4.35 billion in federal education stimulus dollars in the second round of the Race to the Top Competition.  As the state faces massive budget deficits and persistent achievement gaps, California’s continued pursuit of funds aimed at improving teaching and learning in our public schools is worthy of praise.

CALIFORNIA CAN STILL CLINCH A SPOT IN THE RACE TO THE TOP

Oakland, CA) – California still has a shot at $4.35 billion in federal education stimulus dollars as part of Round Two of the Race to the Top Competition.  According to a policy brief released today by The Education Trust-West, California’s Race to the Top: A Road Map for Round Two, the Golden state can achieve second round success by quickly understanding why it lost, what other states did better, and what it must do differently to win.

“California is not out of the race.

Ed Trust West Launches Blog: The Edvocate West

Friends & Colleagues:

The Education Trust-West is thrilled to announce the launch of our new blog: The Edvocate West.  Authored by Executive Director, Arun Ramanathan, The Edvocate West will explore and critique California's most pressing education reform issues.  Specifically, we will examine those issues impacting low-income students and students of color and utilize our voice to advocate for an equitable and excellent education for those students most often left behind.

We hope you will join us on this journey and add your voices to this very critical public dialogue.

Sincerely,

The Education Trust-West

Please visit our first entry of The Edvocate West by clicking http://edvocatewest.org/ 

STATEMENT BY THE EDUCATION TRUST—WEST ON RACE TO THE TOP WINNERS

(Oakland, CA) – The Education Trust–West congratulates Tennessee and Delaware, winners of the first round of the Race to the Top (RTTT) competition.

“Tennessee and Delaware have blazed a path for others to follow,” said Arun Ramanathan, executive director of The Education Trust—West.

THE EDUCATION TRUST—WEST RESPONSE TO THE 2009 NATION’S REPORT CARD

(Oakland, CA) - The 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) reading assessment reveals that the performance of California’s fourth and eighth-grade students has failed to improve since 2007.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on Teacher and Staff Layoffs

(Oakland, CA) – Today, the California Department of Education (CDE) announced that 22,000 teachers and staff in public schools will receive layoff notices.  The pending $2.4 billion cut to California’s public schools comes on top of two years of massive budget cuts that have resulted in tens of thousands of teachers and other staff losing their jobs.     

STATEMENT BY THE EDUCATION TRUST—WEST ON RACE TO THE TOP FINALISTS

(Oakland, CA) – Today, the US Department of Education released the list of finalists for Phase One of the Race to the Top Competition (RTT).

The College Board Released the Results of the 2009 Advanced Placement (AP) Tests Earlier This Week With Their 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation

(Oakland, CA) – The College Board released the results of the 2009 Advanced Placement (AP) tests earlier this week with their 6th Annual AP Report to the Nation.

“These AP results serve as yet another example of how California’s schools are failing to teach our African-American and Latino students to the highest levels.  And they are another indicator of the wide and pervasive achievement gaps that plague our state,” said Arun Ramanathan, Executive Director of The Education Trust—West. 

Equity among students must mean that the d

PERSISTENT ACHIEVEMENT GAPS MAY IMPEDE CALIFORNIA’S EFFORTS TO WIN THE RACE TO THE TOP

As California signs its application for federal Race to the Top (RTTT) funding, many recognize that we may never achieve the excellence the Obama administration seeks without focusing our proposal squarely on equity for low-income students and students of color.

Indeed, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has made it clear that these RTTT grants will reward states not only for bold reforms proposed for the future but also for past progress in narrowing gaps in student achievement.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on Governor Schwarzenegger's 2010-2011 Budget Proposal

(Oakland, CA) – “Today, Governor Schwarzenegger released the details of his budget plans for the fiscal year 2010 – 2011. After two straight years of dramatic and devastating cuts to public education – we applaud the Governor’s realization that we cannot dig our way out of our fiscal crisis by forcing our education systems to bear the brunt of the cuts.”

 “That said – we are deeply concerned about cuts to health and human services programs that will undoubtedly devastate the social safety nets of the very students that attend our highest-need schools.  Policymakers should not have to choose between protecting the services that ensure children are ready to learn and the classrooms where learning occurs.”

Statement by The Education Trust—West on California and Race to the Top

OAKLAND, CA (November 19, 2009) - Last week, the US Department of Education released its final regulations for the Race to the Top application.  California must now – in short order – decide  if it is going to sprint or step off the starting block to win a share of the $4.35 billion pot.

It should be an easy decision.  In a year when California faces another massive budget deficit, it stands a chance to receive up to $700 million with an unprecedented focus on dramatically improving teaching and learning in our state’s public schools.

New Reports Challenge States to Commit to Bold Teacher Effectiveness Reforms in “Race to the Top” Applications

WASHINGTON (November 9, 2009) – The Education Trust and The New Teacher Project (TNTP) today released two reports  challenging states to focus on bold reforms to increase teacher effectiveness in their applications for federal “Race to the Top” funding.

The Education Trust—West Welcomes Arun Ramanathan as their New Executive Director

Friends and Colleagues:

After a long search and thorough interview process, The Education Trust—West is pleased to announce that Arun Ramanathan will be joining us as our new Executive Director starting on November 2.

The Education Trust—West's Statement on the Release of 2009 NAEP Data

OAKLAND, CA (October 14, 2009) - Today’s results from the 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress mathematics (NAEP) released by the U.S.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on Governor Schwarzenegger Signing Senate Bill 19

OAKLAND, CA (October, 13, 2009) - “The Education Trust—West applauds Governor Schwarzenegger for signing Senate Bill 19 (Simitian), thus making California eligible to compete in the Race to the Top Grant.

SMALL GAINS, HUGE GAPS: The Education Trust—West's Statement on the Release of the 2009 California High School Exit Exam Results

OAKLAND, CA (September 2, 2009) – Results from the 2009 California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) released today by the California Department of Education (CDE) show marginal statewide improvement across both English and Math and for all ethnic groups throughout the state.

Overall, 90.6 percent of the class of 2009 passed the exam – a mere 0.2 percent higher than the class of 2008.

The Education Trust—West releases new report: "Achievement in California 2009: Persistent Challenges and Paths Forward"

OAKLAND, CA (August 24, 2009) –Today, the Education Trust—West released its annual report Achievement in California 2009: Persistent Challenges and Paths Forward.

At a time when Governor Schwarzenegger has calledstate leaders to ‘seek any reforms or changes to the law deemed necessary’ and bring about significant education reform, this report makes clear that the time for crucial change is now.

Utilizing the Standardized Testing and Reporting(STAR)data released last week by the California Department of Education (CDE), Achievement in California 2009 makes clear that the incr

Statement by The Education Trust—West on Governor Schwarzenegger's Call For a Special Session on Education and The “Race to the Top” Fund

OAKLAND, CA (August 20, 2009) - “Governor Schwarzenegger’s call for a special session on education today means that California may have a chance to participate in the “Race to the Top” after all.

The Governor is providing clear leadership and keeping his word that California will aggressively compete for every available stimulus dollar.

Achievement in California 2009: Ed Trust—West Statement on 2009 STAR Data

OAKLAND, CA (August 18, 2009) – Results from the 2009 Standardized Testing and Reporting Program (STAR) released today by the California Department of Education (CDE) show marginal statewide improvement across most grade levels and content areas. More students are demonstrating mastery of state standards than at any point since standards and assessments became fully aligned in 2003.

“We must and do acknowledge the hard work of teachers, administrators, students and parents in these gains.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on The Federal Government's Release of "Race to the Top" Fund Regulations and California's Failure to Meet Them

OAKLAND, CA (July 27, 2009)- “Friday, the U.S. Department of Education released regulations for its ‘Race to the Top’ fund that contained sobering news for California. Our state’s ban on using student achievement data to help measure teacher effectiveness threatens our eligibility to apply for portions of the $4.35 billion fund. California’s potential exclusion from this competitive grant process is a blow to students already burdened by massive budget cuts, as well as a forceful wake-up call to state leaders.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on The Federal Government's Release of "Race to the Top" Fund Regulations and California's Failure to Meet Them

OAKLAND, CA (July 27, 2009) - “Friday, the U.S. Department of Education released regulations for its ‘Race to the Top’ fund that contained sobering news for California.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on The Governor's Recommendation to Suspend Proposition 98

OAKLAND, CA (July 2, 2009) - “The Governor’s recommendation to suspend the minimum funding guarantee of Proposition 98 is a crippling blow to an already wounded system of education in the state of California.  

What’s more, this recommendation flies in the face of the peoples’ will.  Californians enacted Proposition 98 in 1988 understanding the integral connection between a quality education and the quality of our state.  Proposition 98 is the safety net that ensures even in times of budgetary difficulty – there is still some pot of money focused on the stat

Statement by The Education Trust—West on The Budget Conference Committee Vote to Eliminate the California High School Exit Exam

OAKLAND, CA (June 17, 2009) - “Yesterday’s vote by the state’s Budget Conference Committee to eliminate the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) as a graduation requirement represents a huge step backward for California’s schools and students. Attempting to dig our way out of the current fiscal crisis by pillaging our education system ensures that we will still be digging our way out of this same hole—or rather our children will—for many years to come.

Statement by The Education Trust—West on High School Drop-out and Graduation Rates Released Today by The California Department of Education

OAKLAND, CA (May 12, 2009) — Today, the California Department of Education (CDE) released information on high school graduation and drop-out rates. The CDE reported a four-year graduation rate of 68 percent for the class of 2008. Continuing its use of the Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) system introduced last year, the state was able to reveal a more accurate accounting of the number of students who dropped out of California’s public schools. Of the students who started as freshman in 2004, 20 percent dropped-out of high school.

Statement by Kati Haycock, President of The Education Trust, On The Announcement of the Intent to Nominate Russlynn Ali as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

 

(Washington DC) – I could not be more delighted by today’s announcement of the intent to nominate Russlynn Ali as the assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education.

New Report Reveals Deep Flaws in California's Teacher Equity Plan

(Oakland, CA) - A new Education Trust—West analysis of California’s plan to address teacher quality distribution among poor and minority students, as required by the No Child Left Behind Act, finds that California not only fails to sufficiently analyze the state’s teacher quality gap, but also neglects to provide a clear plan for correcting the problem.

 

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Study of State's 12 Largest School Districts Shines Spotlight on Hidden Teacher-Spending Gap at Individual Schools

OAKLAND, California –The Education Trust-West today released “A Tale of Two Schools,” an unprecedented series of reports that further exposes the hidden teacherspending gap within 12 of the largest school districts in California. The reports shine an even more focused spotlight on the previously invisible teacher-spending gaps first uncovered by the Education Trust-West in its February report, California’s Hidden Teacher Spending Gap: How State and District Budgeting Practices Shortchange Poor and Minority Students and Their Schools.

 

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New Report Shows that LAUSD Already Has Teaching Staff Needed to Offer A-G Curriculum

(Oakland, CA) —The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) already has the vast majority of the teachers it would need to provide every student with so-called “A-G” curriculum, according to a report released today by the Education Trust-West. On Tuesday, May 24th, the LAUSD Board of Education will vote on whether to implement so-called “A-G” course requirements for all students in the district.

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Education Trust—West Releases Report on Importance of Rigorous "A-G" Curriculum

(OAKLAND, CA) – The workforce is demanding more from California's high school graduates. A new report released by the Education Trust -- West details why a rigorous high school course sequence (a.k.a. the A-G curriculum) is necessary to prepare young Californians for the new economy.

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