Minorities in the School System:

Issues on minority school performance

One of the current trends in looking at school performance is measuring that performance by the use of standardized tests. These tests have been made the gauge of accomplishment, sometimes the sole gauge of improvement in schools and in minority school performance. However, there is controversy over both the testing and the improvements that have been claimed in several states.

For example, Texas has claimed a near-miracle in improved test scores, including the highest test scores for African-American and Latino students in the country. More intensive study of these gains, however, has indicated that they are somewhat illusory. They have been attributed to intensive testing drills, exclusi

. . .
conomic; it was assumed that these children were low achiever in school because they did not have the same opportunities in their early years as children from middle-class and upper-class families. One of the intentions was to make the playing field more level by enriching their early years through the Head Start program. It was designed to provide multiple services, including services to families, that would enable the children to avoid falling behind before they even entered the first grade. At the current time, Head Start remains a national program providing comprehensive developmental services to low-income, preschool children aged three to five. There are approximately 1,400 community-based programs administered by the Administration for Children and Families. In fiscal year 1999, $4.66 billion was allocated for Head Start programs. In other words, much is expected of the program and it has been expanded to include Early Head Start which includes children under three and pregnant women. There are new performance standards, and expanding programs for American Indians and migrants, along with other under-served groups (Head Start fact sheet, 1999). However, there have also been challenges to Head Start to prove that i
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Head Start, Bowles Gintis, Asian American, Finally MacSwan, Ainsworth-Darnell Downey, Practices Introduction, Longitudinal Study, Chinese Zealand, George Bush, Caribbeans Channer, head start, school goals, academic achievement, school performance, school system, et al, school achievement, oppositional culture, parent involvement, head start program, kindergarten teachers, et al 1997, government accounting office, head start teachers, oppositional culture explanation,
Approximate Word count = 4959
Approximate Pages = 20 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Minorities in the School System: