Reflection #3

Dan Schafhauser
8/5/2016

In recent years the educational system has overly focused on

something called the achievement gap, considered one of the main
focuses and problems in educational inequity today. And while, yes, it is true
that there is a disparity between white and black (and other race)
performance on standardized tests, the result is not what we need to focus
on to fix the problem, but the process in obtaining the result. If the process is
adjusted (heightening the opportunities for students) the result should
become adjusted as well. Milner recognizes this and says that the
educational system needs to focus on something called the opportunity
gap (instead of the achievement gap) for it is from opportunity that
students actually receive the chance to succeed, without opportunities
achievement isnt even in the realm of possibility (Milner, 2010, 5). Milner
constantly focuses on the need to focus on an opportunity gap and away
from an achievement gap because standardization, which the achievement
gap really emphasizes, is the opposite of diversity (7). As people who care
about schools, the true goal is to bring opportunity equity to all students.
Generally speaking, opportunity gap refers to inputsthe unequal or
inequitable distribution of resources and opportunitieswhile achievement
gapjust focuses on outputs. The opportunity gap starts a trend and the
results are obvious: people with less opportunities tend to make less when
salary positions become available.

The American educational system has their focus in the wrong areas
and thats why resource deficiency (and thus opportunity gaps) exist. Milner
says, I believe we have not made much progress regarding achievement
disparities because we are focusing attention in the wrong areas. Much of the
current focus on the performance of racially diverse students is on an
achievement gap, which is an after-the-fact measure, (13). From personal
experience, I would say I agree with this because the high school I went to,
an affluent public school in New Jersey, focused so much on scores and
standardized testing that the process of learning was actually lost in the
shuffle. I havent realized till recently that I have had such an advantage in
my opportunities and that anyone from any other school could be just as
successful if they had the same amount of opportunity.
To truly understand what the problem is we must look at the source of
it. One of the problems in the educational sector today is the lack of
resources in impoverished schools compared with affluent schools; lack of
resources is a difference in opportunity which leads to differences in
educational success. Milner also laments that schools have had too much
testing and not enough teaching (4). If there is more attention on instruction
that meets the needs of differentiated learners than on focusing so much
attention on standardized examinations maybe education will get just a little
more equitable. Another reason opportunity gap should be the term used
instead of achievement gap is because it is much more of a nuanced word
than achievement and thus can include much more ways of thinking about

it and different ways at seeing its success play out; it is much more able to
embrace differentiation in the learning process. Some factors that lead to
opportunity gaps that Milner focuses on are the myth of meritocracy, low
expectations and deficit mindsets, the notion of colorblindness, context
neutral mindsets, and cultural conflicts (12). I see specifically how the myth
of meritocracy can be a problem. A belief that everyone starts on the same
plain, while ideal, is totally not true. Some groups, just because of their zip
code, are so disadvantaged that they have to work harder to be able to
succeed in the educational world which is really unfortunate. It is just taking
me now to realize how I have been lucky my whole life to have good
schooling without really trying; a lot of this just seems not fair and makes it
all the more noteworthy when someone from a tough educational
background makes succeeds in their educational life. Opportunity can be
used in a broad sense: all students and teachers deserve to be engaged in
opportunities that can improve their own lives and those of others and
schools need to make this available for all students because everyone has
the same potential to succeed given the same opportunity.
Pedagogy can address the opportunity gap need by teaching about
diversity and culturally relevant education in the classroom. Multiple cultural
frames of reference in the classroom setting can heighten possibilities and
worldview for students (Carter, 2000, 10). Cultural differences being
emphasized is key for narrowing opportunity gap.

If we want to abide by the old African proverb Milner loves so much,

start where you are, but dont stay there schools will need to focus on the
opportunity gap, for realizing the true problem is half the battle and is the
only way to start to move forward. When focusing on achievement gaps
students are positioned as being inferior to their educators (Milner, 2010,
11). Appropriate funding and belief in the students and a focus away from
meritocracy can change the course of American education.

References
Milner, R. (2010). Start Where You Are, But Dont Stay There:
Understanding Diversity, Opportunity Gaps, and Diversity in Todays
Classrooms. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Carter, Prudence. Student and School Cultures and the Opportunity
Gap. Boston, MA: Harvard Education Press.