1. 176 Raising Minority Academic Achievement
Urban Elementary Schools
A Summary of:
Focus
“Hope for Urban Education: A Study of Early Childhood
2 Primary School
Nine High-Performing, High-Poverty, Urban Middle School
Elementary Schools” (1999) U.S. Department Secondary School
of Education – Office of the Undersecretary. Postsecondary
Joseph F. Johnson, Jr. and Rose Asera, eds. 2 Extended Learning
Overview
The research focused on nine urban elementary
POPULATION
Student demographics varied. At 6 of the 9
schools that served students who evaluators
schools, most students were African American,
referred to as “children of color in poor at one school most students were Latino and at
communities.” All 9 of the schools have used Title another, most were Asian. The majority of the
I, school-wide programs. In addition, all the students qualified for free or reduced-price
schools were located in urban areas and did not lunch; in 7 of the schools, at least 80% of the
have selective admissions policies. Only two of the students met low-income criteria. Enrollments
schools used nationally known, comprehensive ranged from 283 students at Baldwin
school reform models; one used the Accelerated Elementary, in Boston, to 1,171 at Goodale
School Program and another used Success for All. Elementary in Detroit. Three of the schools had
more than 500 students. Although all of the
The evaluators chose to write case studies about
schools served elementary grades, they had
these schools because they had achieved results on
different grade level configurations, starting as
state assessments of reading and mathematics that early as pre-kindergarten and ending as late as
exceeded the average for all schools in their eighth grade.
respective states.
Key Findings
M A school that successfully closed a wide gap
between minority students’ test scores and “The true catalyst was the strong desire of
other students’ test scores was Lora B. Peck educators to ensure the academic success of
Elementary School in Houston. In 1995, no the children they served.”
Latino students passed the writing section of — Joseph F. Johnson, et al., evaluators
Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)
while fewer than one in five African American the percentage of African American students
students passed it. In contrast, in 1998, at least achieving the same standard was 56.3
90% of each population group — African percentage points lower. By contrast, four years
American, Latino, white and economically later, at least 90% of all students, 90% of
disadvantaged students — passed each section African American students, 90% of Latino
of the test. students and 90% of low-income students
passed the reading, writing and mathematics
M Another school successful in closing the gap sections of the test.
was Baskin Elementary School in San Antonio.
In 1994, 81.3% of white students achieved the M In 1995, at Burgess Elementary School in
passing standard in reading on the TAAS while Atlanta (where 99% of the student body is
American Youth Policy Forum

2. Raising Minority Academic Achievement 177
African American), 29% of students in grades
1-5 were scoring above the national norm in Percentage of Centerville Elementary Students
Meeting or Exceeding State’s IGAP Goals for
reading and 34% above the national norm in
Grade Three
mathematics on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills
(ITBS). By 1998, 64% of students in grades
1-5 scored above the national norm in reading
while 72% scored above the national norm in
math.
M At Baldwin Elementary in Boston, from 1996 to
1998, students’ Stanford-9 mathematics and
reading scores improved substantially, with
achievement shifting from Levels 1 & 2 (little or
no mastery of basic knowledge and skills to
partial mastery) to Levels 3 & 4 (solid academic
performance and superior performance beyond
grade level).
reading between 1994-1998. In 1994, 17% of
M At the third-grade level, a greater percentage of third-graders scored at or above the satisfactory
Centerville Elementary students met or level. By 1998, 69% did, compared with 41.6%
exceeded statewide performance goals for statewide.
reading and mathematics as measured by the
Illinois Goal Assessment Program that took M One hundred percent of students in third grade
students throughout Illinois. One hundred at Hawley Elementary School in Milwaukee
percent of third graders tested, met or exceeded passed the Wisconsin Reading Comprehension
state goals in mathematics (see graph). Test in 1998, compared with 25% passing
throughout Milwaukee public schools.
M In Detroit, students at Goodale Elementary once
performed below the state average and in 1998 M Students at James Ward Elementary School in
scored above it on the Michigan Educational Chicago have shown long-term progress in
Assessment Program (MEAP). In 1993-94, achievement on the ITBS. In 1991, the
22.4% of students scored satisfactorily on percentage of Ward students scoring at or above
MEAP, compared with 43.6% statewide; in the 50th percentile on the ITBS reading
1997-98, 65% did, compared with 58.6% assessment was 18.9% while it was 42.6% on
statewide. Similarly, students at the Gladys math. In spring of 1998, 51.2% of Ward
Noon Spellman Elementary School in Cheverly, students scored at or above the 50th percentile
MD improved considerably on the Maryland in reading while more than 63% scored at or
State Performance Assessment Program in above the 50th percentile in math.
American Youth Policy Forum

3. 178 Raising Minority Academic Achievement
Program Components
These were all public schools that used federal Title
I dollars to create Title I school-wide programs. They “Even though there are far too many well-
pooled all of their resources to improve achievement documented stories of intellectually vapid
throughout the entire school instead of targeting federal schools that perpetuate cycles of poverty
resources to only those children who met eligibility and further limit the life choices of
criteria based on financial need. Though achievement- children, there are some urban schools
boosting initiatives varied from school-to-school, there that are giving new life to their
were some common components: communities and transforming the futures
of the children they serve.”
M A visible and attainable, initial goal helped schools
— Joseph F. Johnson, et al., evaluators
move toward broader, more ambitious goals.
M A sense of responsibility was fostered among M Professional development for teachers was
students for appropriate behavior, cutting down added in tandem with school-wide or curriculum
on time spent with discipline and enhancing changes. School leaders made sure that
instructional time. teachers felt like they had adequate materials,
equipment and training.
M The use of data helped schools to identify,
acknowledge and celebrate strengths while M Confidence and respect of parents was pursued
focusing attention and resources on areas of need. by educators, primarily by improving the
achievement of students.
M Instruction was aligned to the standards and
assessments required by the state and/or the
school district.
Contributing Factors
Instructional Coaching them to meet these expectations. One of the
Principals tended to spend a large percentage of most important supports was time for school
their time in the classrooms observing teachers, personnel to align instruction to standards and
reinforcing good teaching techniques and helping to assessments.
improve instruction. Some schools created a new
“instructional guide” position, separate from other High Quality Training
administrative positions. Instructional guides provided Principals and school decision-making committees
instructional coaching and support for teachers. had high quality training that helped them use
data to focus resources on critical areas of
Clear Accountability instructional need.
The schools created “clear, measurable and rigorous
school accountability provisions,” observed the Extended Learning Time
evaluators. A focus on adequate yearly progress, The schools had resources that enabled them to
they added, was insufficient. increase the quantity of time available for
instruction. The evaluators cited after-school
Capacity-Building Strategies programs, “Saturday Schools” and extended-year
States and districts set high expectations for the programs as important vehicles for ensuring that
schools but also provided adequate support for students met challenging standards.
American Youth Policy Forum

4. Raising Minority Academic Achievement 179
STUDY METHODOLOGY Burgess Elementary School, Atlanta, GA;
Teams of researchers made two-day visits to all 9 Centerville Elementary School, East St. Louis, IL;
schools during which they interviewed campus Goodale Elementary School, Detroit, MI; Hawley
and district administrators, teachers, parents and Environmental Elementary School, Milwaukee,
other school personnel. They also observed WI; Lora B. Peck Elementary School, Houston,
classrooms, hallways, playgrounds and various TX; Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School,
meetings. Finally, they reviewed various school Cheverly, MD and James Ward Elementary
documents and achievement data. School, Chicago, IL.
EVALUATION & PROGRAM FUNDING CONTACT INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of Education funded the Research Contacts
evaluation. The schools were all public schools Mary Ragland
that used federal Title I dollars to create Title I The Charles A Dana Center
school-wide programs. The University of Texas at Austin
2901 North IH-35, Suite 2.200
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS Austin, TX 78722-2348
The high-performing, urban schools selected Phone: 512.471.6190
were: Harriet A. Baldwin School, Boston, MA; Fax: 512.471.6193
Baskin Elementary School, San Antonio, TX; mragland@mail.utexas.edu
PROGRAM CONTACTS LaWanna Goodwin, Principal Janet Lopez, Principal
William Batchelor, Principal Lora B. Peck Gladys Noon Spellman
Goodale Elementary School Elementary School Elementary School
9835 Dickerson St 5130 Arvilla Ln 3324 64th Ave
Detroit, MI 48213 Houston, TX 77021 Cheverly, MD 20785
Phone: 313.852.8500 Phone: 713.845.7463 Phone: 301.925.1944
Burnett Butler, Principal Robert Helminiak, Principal Carmen Payne, Principal
Centerville Elementary School Hawley Environmental Baskin Elementary School
3429 Camp Jackson Rd Elementary School 630 Crestview Dr
East St Louis, IL 62206 5610 W Wisconsin Ave San Antonio, TX 78201
Phone: 618.332.3727 Milwaukee, WI 53213 Phone: 210.735.5921
Phone: 414.475.7096
Gwendolyn Carter, Principal Sharon Wilcher, Principal
Burgess Elementary School Suzanne Lee, Principal James Ward Elementary
480 Clifton St SE Harriet A. Baldwin School School
Atlanta, GA 30316 121 Corey Road 2701 S Shields Ave
Phone: 404.371.4853 Brighton, MA 02135 Chicago, IL 60616
Phone: 617.635.8460 Phone: 773.534.9050
American Youth Policy Forum