Blacks Still Falling in the ‘GAP’ in Louisville’s Schools
Blacks Still Falling in the 'GAP' in Louisville's Schools is a two-report series released by the Bluegrass Institute For Public Policy Solutions which discusses the persistent trend of achievement gaps in Louisville, Kentucky.
Summary
The problem seems eternal – blacks in the Jefferson County Public Schools District (JCPS) lag behind white students in academic performance.
All sorts of efforts – creating new magnet schools – reconstituting school staff – redistributing student populations – etcetera have been attempted as a way to combat chronic education gaps. But, despite these efforts and more, our new analyses indicate that education gaps between whites and blacks in JCPS schools remain significant.
In both reading and mathematics, the white to black proficiency gaps on the 2011 state assessments were objectionably high in a depressingly large proportion of Jefferson County’s schools. The latest high school graduation rates continue to be unbalanced by race, as well.
Of even greater concern, it’s not just students’ skin color, but where they attend school, that seems to have a bearing on test performance and whether or not they will graduate.
