Minneapolis Middle School Students Tackle Achievement Gap

More than 50 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders at Field Community School in South Minneapolis are enrolled in a program that goes by the acronym “AVID” (Advancement Via Individual Determination), and aims to close the achievement gap by preparing students for college-readiness and success in a global society.

This year, the service-learning aspect of the class focuses on the achievement gap, so students are researching and taking action in a variety of ways. Simulation activities and publications developed by NYLC are helping these students understand and address what is often perceived as an intractable issue.

While it was AVID teacher Heather Walker who decided to focus this year’s program on the issue, the students decided to take a deeper look into how it affects them at their school. AmeriCorps VISTA member Katie Amundson said students were “upset and impassioned” when they realized that the achievement gap exists at Field.

Using NYLC materials, Walker facilitated interactive activities to simulate the societal, familial, and school factors that contribute to the achievement gap. Students further explored the issue by examining aggregated test scores and reading relevant articles.

With a high graduation rate and a high percentage of students exceeding standardized testing requirements, Field students may seem like unlikely victims of the achievement gap. The school has more than 500 students, about 22 percent of whom are eligible for free-or-reduced lunch. In the AVID class, however, 42 percent are eligible.

Students enrolled in the class discovered that when student test scores are grouped by race, there is a disparity between those students who exceed expectations ― often white ― and those who meet or fall below expectations ― often non-white.

The students at each grade level have had different responses to this information. While the sixth-grade students have been grappling with the issue as a whole, creating “success maps” that help them set goals for high school and college, the seventh-graders are taking more direct action. With the help of administrators, this class has pooled together funds and resources to create a student-led after-school tutoring program in which the students set goals and evaluate the program’s impact throughout the year.

The eighth-grade students are writing persuasive essays and research papers on the topic, using academic resources as well as local sources, such as Minneapolis’ Community Education student-led publication ShineOn!

“Students are really passionate about learning more and talking with teachers,” says Amundson.

By the end of the year, Walker and Amundson hope that students will know more about the factors that contribute to the achievement gap, feel empowered to be a part of the national dialogue, and continue to make changes themselves in their community. 

(A grant provided by the B.C. Gamble and P.W. Skogmo Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation supports service-learning professional development for Minneapolis Public School teachers, including Field teachers.)