Conference focuses attention on closing the achievement gap

Rev. Alex Gee addressed theConsortium for the Educational Development of Economically Disadvantaged Students conference at UW-Madison earlier this month (Gokulananda Nandan/Madison Commons)

The Opportunities Beyond Obstacles conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders at the Pyle Center at UW-Madison to address the issue of educational disparities in Madison.

The discussion included city leaders, teachers, Madison Metropolitan School District officials, to community service providers and parents.

“It was not an event but the beginning of a process,” said Floyd Rose, president of the Consortium for the Educational Development of Economically Disadvantaged Students.

The “process,” Rose said, signifies closing “equity gap.”

The conference kicked off with a presentation entitled City of Madison Budget Initiatives to Close Equity Gap by Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. In his talk, Soglin pointed to a variety of efforts the city has undertaken.

He said the Common Council has developed an interdisciplinary research team comprising city employees from various departments, representing both their departments and a region of the city. In addition to continuing investment in apprenticeships, a consortium employment program and the Madison Out-of-School Time (MOST) initiative, the city has funded what it calls the “Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative,” a-little-over-a-year-old program to address the achievement gap.

“All these programs are two-generational approach. It must engage adults and kids,” Soglin said.  

All these programs are based on five critical components: housing, a combination of education, transportation, quality child care and health care that includes mental health as well as challenges and subsidiaries. 

Soglin emphasized on a holistic approach, casting all the community members as “guards.” In order to be successful in this endeavor he mentioned community gardens program management, fresh food development projects, more youth employment opportunities, affordable housing fund ($24 million over six years to add hundred more units), creation of Data Projects Coordinator position to track progress on achieving objectives related to “Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative,” and Wi-Fi on city buses to help the students save out-of-school time. 

While Soglin portrayed a lot of promising initiatives to tackle equity gap, MMSD Superintendent JenniferCourtesy 2013-14 MMSD Strategic Framework (click to enlarge) Cheatham pointed out the educational growth that had already occurred in the session of 2013-14.

“They are our children and the future,” Cheatham said of minority children and children with disabilities.

She highlighted the role of school teachers and MMSD officials in tackling the achievement gap. She said her goal is that every MMSD student graduate from high school and get into college. Cheatham said the district had failed in the past to achieve this by not demanding high enough standards.

“We have not made sufficient progress in raising students’ achievement and closing gaps because we haven’t cultivated the culture of excellence and equity,”. Cheatham said.

Cheatham defined excellence as maintaining high expectation from students irrespective of their circumstances. She said teachers have an obligation to challenge students and engage parents in supporting educational efforts. She said early results have been positive and the district has seen progress on racial disparities, especially at younger ages.

“Though these results reflect definite education growth, we need to step up and create school-based support for African American and Latino students,” she said.

This conference was meant to serve as a platform a platform that allowed people across the community to learn about efforts to address the achievement and offer their own solutions.

“There is much more to come,” Rose said.