EVIDENCE IN
THE NEWS
Extra time in school may boost
student achievement
ACCORDING TO A REPORT from the National that the range of time added for expanded- Findings of the study suggest that more
Center on Time & Learning (NCTL), extra time schools is broad, but on average, time is associated with higher academic
time in school may play a role in increasing schools in the database offer about 25 achievement, as students in schools with an
student achievement. percent more time than the national norm. expanded day were found, on average, to
The report, which describes various trends To examine the relationship between time outperform their district peers. However, the
emerging from expanded-time schools, and achievement, student performance report notes that the analysis is exploratory.
draws from NCTL’s database of more than in expanded-time schools was compared Since the concept of expanded-time schools
650 schools that feature an expanded day with student performance in surrounding is still new, further research is needed
and/or year. The database was created “conventional schedule” schools. The to fully determine the impact of time on
to determine the extent and scope of measure of student performance was the student achievement.
expanded-time schools, investigate how percentage of students scoring profi cient National Center on Time & Learning,
schools expand and spend time, and collect on state exams in both math and English December 2009
baseline data for research. The report notes language arts. www.timeandlearning.org
Study fi nds narrowing achievement gaps for
minority and low-income students
THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, an ever- their white counterparts. Performance subgroups reaching the profi cient level
present concern in education is the wide between low-income students and non-low- on state tests. In 74 percent of all trend
achievement gaps commonly associated income students was also examined. lines studied between 2002 and 2008,
with students of different races and CEP used state student achievement data student achievement gaps for minority
economic classes. Fortunately, research from all 50 states to conduct their study. and low-income students narrowed across
from the Center on Education Policy (CEP) The main unit of analysis was the “trend all grade levels and subjects. Conversely,
shows that student achievement gaps line,” defi ned by CEP as a record of change in 23 percent of trend lines studied, the
for minority and low-income students in performance of a specifi c subgroup gap widened. The study notes, however,
have narrowed more often than they have at a particular achievement level in one that in most cases where the achievement
widened since 2002. subject and one grade level for each year gap widened, subgroup achievement still
The study, which is part three in an since 2002. improved, although not at the same rate as
ongoing series on student achievement, The study concluded that, overall, achievement for white and non-low-income
examined the overall achievement trends states have made progress in closing students.
and gap trends among African American, achievement gaps, as measured by Center on Education Policy, October 2009
Latino, and Native American students and the percentage of students in various www.cep-dc.org
Policy to end social promotion shows positive
results for students
SOCIAL PROMOTION IN SCHOOLS occurs Under the policy, students in grades retention policy and its impact on student
when a student’s performance does not 3 through 8 are required to score at or academic and socio-emotional outcomes
meet academic standards at the end above a certain level on state English over time. The study tracked four cohorts
of a school year, but he or she is still language arts and math assessments in of 5th-grade students: three cohorts that
promoted to the next grade in order order to advance to the next grade. Also were subject to the policy and a comparison
to keep the student with social peers. under the policy, struggling students are cohort that was not held to the policy.
Opponents of social promotion argue identifi ed – based on performance, teacher Findings of the study showed that the
that it puts students at a disadvantage recommendations, or previous retentions – support services provided under the policy
by advancing them to a grade for which and scheduled to receive support services helped students meet promotion criteria and
they are not prepared. In an effort to in and out of school. The policy offers that, overall, few students were retained.
end social promotion, the New York City students multiple opportunities to meet The study also found that those students
Department of Education created a test- promotion criteria. who were retained did not report negative
based promotion and retention policy Using interviews, case studies, student social or emotional effects as a result of
and – according to a study from the RAND surveys, and demographic and test score repeating a grade.
Corporation – the policy has demonstrated data, RAND researchers examined the Rand Corporation, October 2009
positive effects on student achievement. implementation of the promotion and www.rand.org
24 Better: Evidence-based Education winter 2010
Better(US)Win10 pp24-25 News.indd 24 23/2/10 17:08:36
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