Filling in the Achievement Gap with Hard Work, Strict Laws, and More Funding

Transforming a poor, failing school district into one that performs at state average is an issue that keeps many educators awake at night. However, New Jersey's Abbott Districts and Union City show that hard work, determination, and cooperation, as well as a little more funding, can make all the difference.

At the Askwith Forum, "What Happens When Courts Make Funding Plentiful for Poor School Districts? New Jersey's Abbott Districts," on Thursday, March 16, Gordon MacInnes, assistant commissioner for Abbott implementation, and Fred Carrigg, special assistant to the commissioner for urban literacy, discussed how they helped move Union City from the second lowest-performing system in New Jersey to the highest among the state's larger systems. The forum was moderated by Ronald Ferguson, lecturer in public policy at the Kennedy School of Government and head of Harvard's Achievement Gap Initiative.

The Abbott and Union City stories are not well known, but have national implications. In an engaging forum, MacInnes explained that for 15 years the failing schools of the Abbott Districts were the most debated educational issue in the state. In 1998, the courts increased funding to the district, but also made specific demands including making public education available to children by the age of three, meeting targets on assessment tests, and requiring specific facility and class size targets.

"You so often hear that it takes 10 to 15 years, but you can change things in a short-term period."–Fred Carrigg

In 1997, the Abbott Districts' per pupil cost was $7,200 compared to the state average cost of $8,700. In 2005, the Abbott Districts' per pupil cost increased to $14,500 compared to the state average cost of $12,700. By 2003, the Abbott Districts were already showing remarkable improvements across the board.

However, it wasn't just the Abbott Districts that had been struggling. In 1989, the Union City school system was facing similar issues. The densely populated community more resembled New York City. In addition, the majority of students were Latino or minority students and 83 percent participated in the free or reduced lunch program. Union City schools were also failing 44 of the 52 state indicators.

Carrigg said they decided to do something about it and make intense changes to the curriculum. "You so often hear that it takes 10 to 15 years," Carrigg said. "But you can change things in a short-term period."

Carrigg offered the following guide principles of reform:

• Believe that all children can learn
• Tailor your program to local conditions
• Make reform a long-term process with a commitment to annual reviews and revisions
• Continue communication between policymakers and implementers
• Maintain ongoing support for teachers

Putting these principles into action wasn't easy. Instead of using outdated materials that the majority of Latino and minority students couldn't relate to, Carigg said they filled the school with materials rich in their culture. In addition, they made several curriculum changes including moving from traditional periods to block scheduling and shifting from a traditional curriculum to a more authentic-based curriculum. Within six years, the New York Times called Union City a model for urban education.

"You can't put into policy that all people will believe that all children can learn, but you can put block scheduling into [effect]."–Fred Carrigg

By 2003, without the money or the court mandate that spurred the change in the Abbott Districts, Union City has closed the gap between their district and the state average. In some cases, Union City has even surpassed the state average.

Carrigg emphasized the need to use concrete steps to implement the larger principles. "You can't put into policy that all people will believe that all children can learn," Carrigg said. "But you can put block scheduling into [effect]."

Among other things that Carrigg pointed out is that you can require the teaching of certain books, you can screen children for reading skills three times a year, and you can use assessments.

While the Abbott Districts have already seen improvements and the achievement gap is slowly closing, Carrigg and MacInnes don't necessarily believe that money is always the driving factor behind change. They agree that while money can help, it also helps for educators to be creative with the funding they already have and not be afraid to make the hard and necessary changes to a traditional curriculum.

However, when asked where a school district should put any extra dollars, Carrigg and MacInnes have different answers.

Carrigg said districts should focus on literacy, especially in the early years. "We have done a terrible job teaching kids to read and we have to do a good job with that."

MacInnes, on the other hand, sees preschool as one of the most important areas that districts tend to overlook. "Pre-K programs many still see as supervised play programs," MacInnes said. The experience of the Abbott Districts, which have been mandated to begin public education by the age of three, has made a difference in the community and learning.

This forum marked the first of a two-part series. On April 25, an Askwith Forum will examine "Why High School Graduates become College Dropouts and What to Do about It," with Melissa Roderick of the University of Chicago