Bridging the Achievement Gap [Paperback]

John E. Chubb (Editor), Tom Loveless (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0815714017 | ISBN-13: 978-0815714019 | Publication Date: November 2002

The achievement gap between white students and African American and Hispanic students in the US has been debated by scholars and lamented by policymakers since it was first documented in 1966. The average black or Hispanic secondary school student currently achieves at about the same level as the average white student in the lowest quartile of white achievement. Black and Hispanic students are much less likely than white students to graduate from high school, acquire a college or advanced degree or earn a middle-class living. They are also much more likely than whites to suffer social problems that often accompany low income. The situation may finally be changing. This book provides evidence that the achievement gap can be bridged. A variety of schools and school reforms are boosting the achievement of black and Hispanic students to levels nearing those of whites.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John E. Chubb is a founding partner of Edison Schools and a nonresident senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. His books include (with Terry M. Moe) Politics, Markets, and America's Schools (Brookings, 1990).

Tom Loveless is director of the Brown Center on Education Policy and senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings Institution. His most recent book is The Great Curriculum Debate: How Should We Teach Reading and Math? (Brookings, 2001). --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press (November 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815714017
• ISBN-13: 978-0815714019
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,669,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bridging The Achievement Gap, May 9, 2006

By 

Ana Valdes "Ana" (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bridging the Achievement Gap (Hardcover)

Bridging the Achievement Gap is a compilation of essays from university experts interpreting a wide range of studies trying to find scientific solutions to the achievement gap. Practices such as smaller classes, voucher programs, high-stakes testing, Wisconsin's Student Achievement Guarantee in Education, schools that work, tracking, the role of the federal government, and non scientific practices are some of the topics reviewed.
The book is devoted to explaining the statistics of the studies done by different schools in different states. Explanations of such statistics are not easy to follow. Each study offers a solution to the achievement gap; however, no study guarantees success for all students in the programs during or after students leave the programs. Most programs emphasize a rigorous curriculum, smaller student-teacher ratio, and fostering a culture of competitiveness among minority students has had the most success in closing the achievement gap.
Each study focuses on a few things to correct as if pupils are a damage product that needs fixing. Studies do not look at the achievement gap as a holistic problem. The book is difficult to follow, studies use disadvantage children, and although only focuses only on some aspects of the achievement gap, it is a positive step on the right direction to recognizing there is an achievement gap problem. Scientific studies for many people tend to carry more weight than non-scientific studies, however, I would caution to base all achievement gap views and solutions solely on these studies.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A solid, solution-oriented discussion, March 9, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bridging the Achievement Gap (Paperback)

Collaboratively compiled and edited by John E. Chubb (founding partner of Edison Schools and Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution) and Tom Loveless (Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution), Bridging The Achievement Gap is a compilation of straightforward articles surveying and analyzing the academic achievement gap between white students and African American or Hispanic students, which first documented in 1966. The studies consistently find that Black and Hispanic students are much less likely to get high grades, graduate from high school, earn a college or advanced degree, or achieve a middle-class standard of living. Looking not only at the causes and effects of this ethnic and racial achievement gap, but also offering concrete ways to eliminate it, Bridging The Achievement Gap is a solid, solution-oriented discussion, and highly recommended reading for educators and governmental policy makers.