Achievement gaps between high-poverty and low-poverty schools at kindergarten entry narrowed modestly but significantly between 2010 and 2017¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2019 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2024: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? The math gap between students at high-poverty and low-poverty schools narrowed from 0.95 to 0.90 SD and the reading gap from 0.88 to 0.77 SD, both significantly. → Kuhfeld 2019

q2 i? Inequalities at school entry by school poverty level decreased between 2010 and 2017. → 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

School-poverty gap models comparing students in schools with over 75% FRPL eligibility to those with 25% or less, on weighted fall kindergarten MAP Growth scores by year. In 2017 the average math RIT in high-poverty schools (133) was lower than in low-poverty schools (144).

"Specifically, the math gap between students at high-poverty and low-poverty schools (0.90 SD) was modestly but significantly smaller than the corresponding achievement gaps in 2010 (0.95 SD). The low-high poverty gap in reading significantly narrowed from 0.88 SD in 2010 to 0.77 SD in 2017."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

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

Related Claims¶

• School test score averages are strongly related to the income of the families a school serves — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Heavy weighting of achievement data in U.S. school evaluation clouds how much learning is actually occurring, particularly in high-poverty communities — related
• Female kindergarteners outscore males in math and reading at entry; the reading gap was stable while the small math gap narrowed slightly — related
• 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
• A national study examines trends and disparities in children's academic skills at school entry for students who began kindergarten between 2010 and 2017 — a broader claim this one bears on
• Black-White and Hispanic-White achievement gaps at kindergarten entry narrowed significantly between 2010 and 2017 in both math and reading — related
• Inequalities at kindergarten entry by race/ethnicity decreased between 2010 and 2017 — a broader claim this one bears on
• Gaps in academic skills between children narrowed at kindergarten entry, per the article's abstract — a broader claim this one bears on
• Kindergarteners in 2017 had moderately lower math and reading skills at school entry than kindergarteners in 2010 — related
• ASSISTments benefited students of color significantly more than White students, narrowing the ethnic achievement gap — related
• Prior nationally representative studies found incoming kindergarteners' math and literacy skills were higher in 2010 than in 1998 — related
• District pre-K enrollment was not associated with kindergarten-entry achievement levels or with districts' achievement trends over time — related
• Controlling for school poverty greatly reduces but does not eliminate racial/ethnic gaps at kindergarten entry — related
• Children's academic achievement at kindergarten entry has declined, per the article's abstract — related