Slide 1: Hello everyone, my name is Alex Cohen and I graduated from Upper Merion High School last year.

For my senior graduation project, I tutored students in math at Bridgeport Elementary School and Roberts Elementary School. While tutoring, I noticed a difference in the students abilities to do math between the two schools. Besides for the disparity in academic-capability, the resources available to the students differed greatly. At Roberts, all of these resources were set-aside for their first grade math club that the students were a part of. However, when I went to Bridgeport, I either brought my own material or worked on the current class assignment. School programs that provide this supplementary support are vital for the success of students. Slide 2: Before we get started, I would like to remind you of a few terms. The National Education Association defines the term achievement gap as the differences between the test scores of minority and/or low-income students and the test scores of their White and Asian peers, but goes on to explain that achievement gaps in test scores affect many different groups. Simply put, it is the discrepancy in academic performance between groups of students. The achievement gap affects racial and ethnic minorities, English as second language learners, students with disabilities, boys at a younger age and girls in high school math and science, and students from low-income families.

The achievement gap can be identified through a variety of indicators including performance on standardized tests, access to opportunities, and attainments such as high school diploma and college degree. Slide 3: According to USA.com, Upper Merion Area School District is ranked number 78 out of 498 for Pennsylvania Public School Performance. That means Upper Merion is in the top 20%, which is a great accomplishment! However, lets take a look at the roots of our education in this township, the elementary schools. Slide 4: If you take a look on the screen, it becomes apparent that Candlebrook consistently outperforms the other elementary schools while Bridgeport is consistently performing the worst. For three of our four elementary schools to be in the top 10% of the state, while one remains in the 50th percentile is concerning. Slide 5: The third grade math 2013 PSSA test results show Candlebrook and Caley scoring highest, with Bridgeport scoring the lowest. Caley and Roberts scored the best on third grade reading, while Bridgeport again performed the poorest. The trend continues with Bridgeport scoring lowest in the different subjects for fourth grade, with the exception of science, where Roberts had the lowest scores. Slide 6: The chart we are seeing shows a greater breakdown of the characteristics and demographics of the schools. The percent of students on free/discounted lunch is significantly greater at Bridgeport Elementary School when compared to the

other elementary schools. Bridgeport also exhibits the greatest percentage of Black and Hispanic students. There is clearly a correlation between the test scores, race, and income at the different elementary schools, indicating that an achievement gap exists within our very own township. This gap that begins in the elementary schools continues throughout middle and high school. It is time that we start working on narrowing the achievement gap that exists in our own township. There should not be such a disparity in test scores when the schools are within 5 miles of each other. Slide 7: Our meeting minutes from the September 4th 2012 School Board Meeting, reference discussion on Bridgeport Elementary School not meeting AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress. AYP was implemented based on the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and it measures student achievement. During that period, Bridgeport was considered in warning status. It was explained that one student made the negative impact in the low AYP level. Mr. Futrick, the school Principal, explained that they started the school year with an improved focus on education, but little details were provided. Slide 8: Reform is not needed in every Upper Merion school to narrow the achievement gap. Andy Porter, the Dean of the Penn Graduate School of Education, explains For an education reform to solve the achievement gap, it must produce bigger gains for black students than for white students. Bridgeport exhibited the lowest test scores, lowest economic level, and greatest percentage of black and

Hispanic students, so implementing supplemental programs at Bridgeport Elementary could narrow the gap within our township. Slide 9: The first effort for us to consider is to implement an after school tutoring and mentoring program. The University of Chicago Urban Education Lab conducted a study in which high school students who were in danger of dropping out improved their math test scores and school attendance through guidance from tutoring and mentoring. The benefits of the program closed nearly two-thirds of the average gap in math test scores between white and blacks students. In a report conducted by the U.S. Department of Education titled Closing the Achievement Gap: Lessons From Successful Schools, it analyzes methods that have proven effective in narrowing the achievement gap. It addresses the importance of high expectations, which can be met through support systems such as tutoring. There are a few ways we can approach starting a tutoring program. The first is to survey teachers to see who is willing and able to stay after school. However, this may prove to be too expensive. Alternatively, we could try partnering with nearby universities to bring students in to tutor. Many colleges have clubs and organizations that welcome to doing community service, which could include tutoring at Bridgeport. The third option would be to bring in students from Upper Merion High School to tutor the students who are struggling. This not only provides benefits to the elementary school students, but also benefits the high school students, as well. This is a great opportunity for students in the high school to get more involved in the community.

Slide 10: Another effort that we can make to close the achievement gap in Upper Merion is through creating clubs like the one at Roberts I described earlier. These clubs would focus on a specific subject and would target students that are demonstrating difficulty in the subject. The first grade math club at Roberts was comprised of a group of about twenty students that were performing poorer than their classmates. The most valuable aspect of the club may have been the resources it provided. Each student had two workbooks and there was a box full of timelines, number charts, counting blocks, and more. I saw firsthand the impact an academic club can have on students learning. One of the greatest advantages was the students working together. Sometimes, I found myself struggling to explain concepts that were second nature to me. When one student could explain a concept to another, not only did it make more sense to the student, but also the student that was explaining became more confident in himself or herself. The students viewed the club as fun and social. Making a subject that seems difficult and scary all of a sudden seem fun and interesting is crucial to learning. When the students started to enjoy doing the math problems, they started to do better, which only improved their attitudes toward math. It was a positive cycle. Slide 11: Closing the Achievement Gap: Lessons from Successful Schools, which I mentioned earlier, examines and summarizes four schools with large percentages of

minority students that were able to narrow or close the achievement gap within their own schools. I will describe the common themes among the four schools. Slide 12: The overall culture within the elementary school must be altered. There must be high expectations for student achievement. Not to say this does not already exist, but it must be emphasized at all times. To aid students in becoming proficient in reading and math, learning supports, such as tutoring and study skills programs, should be executed to help students meet expectations. We can conduct classroom assessments to determine which teaching strategies are most effective. A general collaborative and optimistic attitude towards the school and its accomplishments can have a great impact. Slide 13: The curriculum was all based on state and district standards. Block scheduling was implemented so there was longer time for instruction. Teachers utilized interesting and personally relevant methods in order to engage their students. Slide 14: All of us in this room share the desire to improve our schools and the futures of the students in our community. Based on what I reviewed with you today, it is evident that the achievement gap is prevalent in our very own district. There are methods that have proven to be successful in closing this gap. I am hopeful we can work together to implement these techniques at Bridgeport Elementary School, to ensure every child in our township is getting the best education possible. With our

commitment and action, we can bring the children from Bridgeport Elementary school in the top 10% like the rest of the elementary schools in the township.

Sources: http://www.usa.com/rank/pennsylvania-state--public-school-performance-school-district-rank.htm?hl=Upper+Merion+Area+School+District&hlst=PA https://www.schooldigger.com/go/PA/compare/2448006468/schoolcompare.asp x http://www.nea.org/home/20380.htm https://www.gse.upenn.edu/node/269 http://www.childcarequarterly.com/pdf/fall09_gap.pdf http://www.boarddocs.com/pa/umasd/Board.nsf/Public http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2014/01/27/targeted-tutoring-can-reduceachievement-gap-cps-students-study-finds http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/hs/factsh/ctag_rpt.pdf http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/gaps/ http://www.umasd.org