Test Scores Jump for Some L.A. Hispanic Students
L.A. school administrators credit a curriculum enhancement that they say could help close the achievement gap.
WriteCon.com - March 17, 2008
(PRNewsChannel) / Los Angeles, Calif. – Century Park Elementary may have the highest concentration of Hispanic students from mostly lower income backgrounds than any other Los Angeles public school. Yet Hispanic students at Century Park are seeing the biggest increases in test scores.
In fact, Hispanic students increased their test scores by 100 points on average—the greatest increase of any school in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)—the third highest in California—according to just released testing data.
There’s a similar success story unfolding at Charles Bursch Elementary. With nearly 80% of its student body Hispanic, the Compton school saw an average increase of 56 points.
Administrators credit a curriculum enhancement program for the rise in student test scores. The program, The Write Connection, was created by a former inner city educator.
“By implementing The Write Connection, these schools have either close the achievement gap or are on their way,” says Deborah Stephenson, the former elementary school teacher who created the program. “The program significantly impacts student achievement.”
The achievement gap refers to the disparity in education between the performance of groups of students, especially groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, ability, and socioeconomic status.
“The program places more focus on writing,” says Stephenson. “Most state programs generally focus too much on reading.”
Stephenson says by creating a system that shifts focus on writing, reading improves as well as writing.
“You can teach kids to read but that doesn't mean they can comprehend,” says Stephenson. “But if you can write, you can definitely comprehend.”
The Write Connection is in a handful of schools across California where scores among all students have increased dramatically. Stephenson says she’s currently working with administrators in various districts in hopes of implementing the program in more schools.
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