Controlling for school poverty greatly reduces but does not eliminate racial/ethnic gaps at kindergarten entry¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2019 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2024: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? After controlling for school-level poverty, Black-White and Hispanic-White gaps were reduced by roughly 0.18 SD in math and 0.16 SD in reading on average, but remained statistically significant across all years in both subjects (except the Asian-White math gap in 2010). → Kuhfeld 2019

Evidence¶

Kuhfeld 2019¶

Kuhfeld, Megan, Soland, James, Pitts, Christine, & Burchinal, Margaret. (2019). Trends in Children's Academic Skills at School Entry: 2010 to 2017. EdWorkingPaper No. 19-137, Annenberg Institute at Brown University. http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai19-137

q2 · i? · associational · r2

Gap models re-estimated with school-poverty indicators (mid- and high-poverty FRPL categories) added, using the same weighted kindergarten sample. The authors note student-level SES was unavailable, so school poverty served as the control, and gaps remained "statistically significant across all years in both math and reading."

"After controlling for school-level poverty, the Black-White and Hispanic-White achievement gaps were greatly reduced (an average reduction of approximately 0.18 SD in math and 0.16 SD in reading)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Race and Ethnicity — predictor: outcomes differ by group: a gap reflecting circumstances and treatment, not a cause

Related Claims¶

• Kindergarten-entry math and reading scores were mostly flat 2010-2014 then slightly declined by 2017, with median math down about 0.24 SD and reading down 0.14 SD — related
• Black-White and Hispanic-White achievement gaps at kindergarten entry narrowed significantly between 2010 and 2017 in both math and reading — related
• Achievement declines from 2019 to 2022 were smaller for Asian American and White first and second graders than for Hispanic, Black, and AIAN students — related
• Poor White students consistently outperformed poor Black and poor Hispanic students in achievement, with gaps widening around ages 7-8 — related
• Schools play less of a role in widening racial/ethnic achievement gaps than children's prekindergarten environments — related
• Pandemic achievement declines were uneven across racial/ethnic groups, with the largest declines still apparent for Hispanic, Black, and AIAN students in spring 2022 — related
• Asian and white CPS students score consistently higher than Latino and African-American students in reading and math, and Asian students score significantly higher in math than white students — related
• Children from all racial/ethnic groups were projected to gain more in higher-tier programs, but most racial/ethnic differences were not statistically significant — related
• Simulations of closing Black-Hispanic-White gaps in educational participation project increased net public benefits of $20.2 to $72.6 billion per year. — related
• Adjusting for low-income student share narrows but does not eliminate demographic performance gaps in the PEP framework — related
• Inequalities at kindergarten entry by race/ethnicity decreased between 2010 and 2017 — related
• Achievement gaps between high-poverty and low-poverty schools at kindergarten entry narrowed modestly but significantly between 2010 and 2017 — related
• Young white students progress more slowly in math and reading than Asian, black, and Hispanic students, with differences attenuating at older ages — related
• Achievement gaps between low-poverty and high-poverty elementary schools grew by .10–.20 SD, primarily during 2020–2021 — related
• Students of ethnicity other than White grew more slowly in reading and math than White students, with no ethnic differences in initial achievement — related