Black, Hispanic students closing achievement gap

Palm Coast Observer
News

Florida’s minority students are closing the academic achievement gap on national and state assessments, according to a release from Governor Rick Scott's office.

"Together, we can all prepare our next generation for success in college and careers,” Scott said. “We can keep improving to make life better for all Floridians.”

The National Assessment of Educational Progress tracks student graduation rates and performance on the FCAT, algebra end-of-course assessments and Advanced Placement Florida’s graduation rate by race. The group is part of the National Center for Education Statistics, a federal organization that analyzes education stats around the world.

In 2011, 54% of African-American fourth-graders, 67% of Hispanic fourth-graders and 83% of white fourth-graders scored at or above the basic reading level on assessments.

In 2013, however, those numbers all rose: 57% of African-American fourth-graders, 73% of Hispanic fourth-graders and 85% of white fourth-graders scored at or above the basic reading level.

Florida also narrowed the achievement gap in eighth-grade reading assessments and in fourth- and eight-grade math assessments, becoming the only state to narrow the black-white gap in both subjects, according to the release.

Florida academic achievement gap: 2011-2013

The following are charts on Florida fourth- and eighth-graders' achievements in reading and math:

Reading – Percentage of Students Scoring At or Above Basic

	Grade 4		Grade 8
	2011	2013	2011	2013
All Students	71%	75%	73%	77%
White	83%	85%	82%	84%
African American	54%	57%	57%	66%
Hispanic	67%	73%	71%	73%

Reading – Percentage of Students Scoring At or Above Proficient

	Grade 4		Grade 8
	2011	2013	2011	2013
All Students	35%	39%	30%	33%
White	48%	49%	38%	42%
African American	17%	20%	14%	19%
Hispanic	30%	36%	27%	27%

Mathematics – Percentage of Students Scoring At or Above Basic

	Grade 4		Grade 8
	2011	2013	2011	2013
All Students	84%	84%	68%	70%
White	92%	92%	79%	81%
African American	70%	72%	46%	51%
Hispanic	81%	82%	65%	65%

Mathematics – Percentage of Students Scoring At or Above Proficient

	Grade 4		Grade 8
	2011	2013	2011	2013
All Students	37%	41%	28%	31%
White	52%	54%	37%	40%
African American	18%	20%	11%	14%
Hispanic	31%	36%	22%	24%

Flagler County

In 2012, Florida launched a yearly report, called the Annual Measurable Objectives, that charts test scores by race. The Palm Coast Observer reported in March that about 40% of Flagler County’s black students were reading at a satisfactory level, while 60% of the county’s students overall were reading at a satisfactory level.

The following comparison of Flagler County students’ test scores was printed in the Palm Coast Observer in March:

School	Subgroup	Satisfactory scores: reading	Satisfactory scores: math
Bunnell Elementary	White	67%	66%
	Black	28	26
Rymfire Elementary	White	70	63
	Black	47	37
Wadsworth Elementary	White	65	59
	Black	55	46
Old Kings Elementary	White	73	66
	Black	49	49
Belle Terre Elementary	White	77	76
	Black	62	50
Buddy Taylor Middle	White	58	57
	Black	40	39
Indian Trails Middle	White	63	66
	Black	45	48
Matanzas High	White	60	77
	Black	36	55
Flagler Palm Coast High	White	56	62
	Black	24	43
Statewide	White	69	68
	Black	38	40