September 21, 2006
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS , OH – Cleveland Heights High School and Roxboro Middle School were two of just 77 Ohio schools recognized in a study by Standard and Poor’s for significantly narrowing the achievement gap between higher- and lower-performing student groups during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years.

Of the 77 schools in Ohio that have been able to narrow the achievement gap, 62 schools were recognized for reducing the achievement gap between economically-disadvantaged students and non-disadvantaged students. Of those 62 schools, Cleveland Heights High School was one of just four schools also recognized for closing the achievement gap between African American students and white students, meaning it was able to close the gap between multiple student groups.

Along with Cleveland Heights High School, Roxboro Middle School also closed the gap between economically-disadvantaged students and non-disadvantaged students.

“Our District is continuously engaged in a variety of projects and initiatives to address and eliminate the achievement gap,” Superintendent Deborah S. Delisle said.  “This is certainly a wonderful acknowledgment of the efforts by so many in our District.  Our schools take every opportunity to analyze minority student achievement data, study current research, and assess how students’ needs can be met, with the goal of having more students prepared and ready to take higher level, rigorous coursework.  Working to eliminate the achievement gap is something we are dedicated to, and we are thrilled to see our efforts working.”  

The CH-UH District is a founding member of the Minority Student Achievement Network, a nationwide consortium of school districts working collaboratively to engage students and eliminate the gap. The District is one of the most active members of the consortium.

The District continuously monitors data of all students throughout the year looking to address areas of improvement. All District principals are accountable for a building-based academic achievement plan that includes the monitoring of data and individual student growth. Added to this, data is disaggregated by subgroups, which the District was monitoring before the State required Districts to look at adequate yearly progress, or AYP, of subgroups.

The District consults experts about the identification of underrepresented groups. The Ohio Department of Education recently provided funds for the District to conduct research in the early screening of preschool age children to find high cognitive potential or gifted characteristics. This funding has been provided by the State with the purpose of using our research to assist in identification of students from underrepresented groups (minority students and students who qualify for free/reduced lunch) as gifted once they begin school. There are gifted classes and specialists in every building, including a dedicated gifted/enrichment counselor at CHHS.

The nationally recognized AVID program (Advancement via Individual Determination) is making its Ohio debut in the CH-UH District. AVID is an in-school academic support program that prepares students for college eligibility and success. The program places academically average students in advanced classes and levels the playing field for minority, low-income, and other students without a college-going tradition in their families.

Last year was the first time at CHHS that all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students had an opportunity to take the PSAT. Offering this test to all students is a way to level the playing field so that all students have similar opportunities. The PSAT, which prepares students for college entrance exams, gives a basis for the type of questions appearing on the SAT and identifies more students for advance placement courses. The test also provides the school with feedback on the strengths and areas to improve upon in the curriculum, along with being the basis for qualification for National Merit and National Achievement Scholarship recognition.

This is the first year Standard & Poor’s conducted an achievement gap analysis at the school level in Ohio.

To be recognized for significantly narrowing these achievement gaps, schools had to meet all of the following criteria:

• test at least 30 students in each student group being analyzed;
• reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in Reading and Math Proficiency (RaMP™) rates by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise the RaMP rates for each student group being compared; and
• reduce at least one achievement gap between student groups in a grade-level reading test by more than five percentage points from one year to the next; and simultaneously raise that grade-level reading proficiency rate for each student group being compared. Schools must demonstrate similar progress in math, though not necessarily at the same grade level. For example, an elementary school might reduce the achievement gap between black students and white students in third grade reading by at least five percentage points while raising reading proficiency rates for both black students and white students, while doing the same in fifth grade math.