"Closing the Achievement Gap, No Excuses, Just Results."
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The Partnership for Minority Student Achievement has completed its initial phase of work. Below you will find information concerning the development and progress of the Partnership. This project and the work of the Minority Student Achievement Task Force (MSATF) have become the basis for the development of the Achievement Gap Committee which is looking at Gap issues across all demographics.
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The Minority Student Achievement Task Force (MSATF) was formed in March 2000 with a charge to (a) review and analyze existing data about the performance of Kentucky students, with particular emphasis on achievement gaps between majority and minority students; (b) investigate promising research and practices from Kentucky and the nation; and (c) develop a set of actions, with timelines, for improving the performance of minority students in Kentucky. Out of the work of the Task Force, a report was generated in October of 2000 that outlined a set of recommendations for use by local school districts in reducing the minority student achievement gap.
The Kentucky Department of Education entered into an agreement with the Appalachian Educational Laboratory (AEL) who, in a co-venture with researchers from state and regional universities began to analyze the impact of strategies implemented by the seven participating school districts. AEL has a 35-year history of applying research to educational practice and policy. This portion of the pilot project was designed to capture the procedural process, planning and implementation used by each district to implement strategies to close the achievement gap. The KDE staff person assigned to facilitate the initial research project was Mr. Michael D. Dailey, Office of Legal and Legislative Services. The partnership districts were:
Bardstown Independent Christian County Fayette County
Hardin County Jefferson County Owensboro Independent
Paducah Independent
The Kentucky Department of Education provided resources and professional development as follows:
· Implementation of Senate Bill 168,
· Ed Trust New Counseling Initiatives,
· Dr. Ruth Johnson's "Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap Workshop",
· Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning Workshops,
· Grants for Gifted and Talented Services,
· Virtual High School AP Scholarships, and
· MSA Contact meetings giving each district the opportunity to share their ideas and strategies.
The plan to eliminate barriers to learning were outlined by the Minority Student Achievement Task Force. The search for these successful promising programs was dubbed the "Dispelling the Myth Tour". While engaging in school visits, we were able to glean some promising practices that can be utilized across the state. Many of these promising practices were presented at the 2004 Kentucky Teaching and Learning Conference. As the work of the partnership continued, the department recognized barriers to learning must be eliminated for all children.
This project has provided a window into the specific work that needs to be done to help students reach proficiency by 2014. As this work continues through the Achievement Gap Committee and conclusions can be drawn regarding promising practices, several discussions have begun to emerge as to the best method to implement strategies for statewide dissemination of findings as well as practices that will ultimately lead to high student achievement for all children of the commonwealth.
Over the four years of the Partnership, we witnessed many advances and improvements in the seven pilot districts. Their success was not only evident in minority populations but focused on the continuous progress of all students. This was the beginning of the continuous effort to address the needs of our African American students and other students hindered by barriers to learning. We want to share what we have learned: "All Means All", and we know how to make it happen!