There is a lot of talk about achievement gaps. The talk is usually centered around gaps between cultures, races, and socio-economic groups. There is alot of evidence for this, but are these arnt the only issues in the equality conflict. Boys, especially in reading, are getting out scored by girls as well. The point of this blog is not to identify the reasons for this problem, but more on possible solutions.
Should we separate boys and girls into by class rooms? No, that would be just like saying should we split hispanic and white students into different class rooms or we should split black and white students into different classrooms. In actuality, I think that is more of the goal in urban settings, to have more equity in schools through diversity. Differential instruction sounds like a good idea, but teachers have been supposedly using that for years. We have to look at the data to find the correct solution.
Some people of the class today seemed like they opposed the notion of research-driven interventions in schools. I guess from a broad view "the data" looks like a bad technique because of the issues of standardized scoring and bias on tests. However, I would like to ask those opposed to data-driven action what they would rather use. Something that is not supported by research?? Would you take medication that wasn't supported in the Lab first? Probably not. Would you use a certain instruction book that hasn't showed quality outcomes in research? So why would you want to instruct in a way that has not been supported.
Standardized testing has caused some issues because no test is perfect. This makes it hard to make "no child left behind" a reality. In the issues of boys, you might find research that shows quality results for differentiated sex classrooms. I'm sure you can also find research that shows that differentiated sex classrooms don't work well. Obviously somebody is worng, or they are measuring different things, or looking at it a different way. But the solution is not to throw the data out. The solution is actually to create more data to continually find better answers.

Equality in schools is usually a touchy subject. There is definitely inequality within and between schools. I think this inequality is more about money than about culture or race. Some sources we have read believe that the education system may be racist, only having curriculum to help white students but not others. If there economic difference is thousands of dollars per student, there is obviously going to be differences in resources and therefore curriculum.
If it is a money issue, how are we to change the problem? Some school districts will have more money because those districts have more money coming in from taxes. When it comes to redistribution of the taxes for public schools, is that any more of a fair issue? My father owns a farm in the Postville school district, and therefore pays taxes for that school. A side note is that his children didn't even go to that school. That's fine to him, he doesn't mind paying taxes for other people's children, all children need to learn. What the problem is is that my father pays for children's education who's parents don't pay anything. Because many of the hispanic children's parents are illegal aliens, they get paid with U.S. currency, but get out of the taxes. Because places like Postville have many students but few tax payers, there is obviously a money issue. How should we fix a problem like this? The only way to fix it is to take more money from the people who pay taxes. This may be just as unfair as the present issue. All people have the right of education, but people also have the right to the money they earn.

Some people say there is equality in schools because the teacher quality is not as good in some districts. "If those teachers would teach what they are suposed to do it wouldn't be as big as in issue." I have a friend who is in "Teacher America" program teaching middle school biology. Like many teachers, he went in with a great attitude thinking he was going to change the achievement gap problem of inner-city schools. He was going to teach what the students have been unable to get. He worked hard to get his lessons plans ready for the first day of class. To his surprise, his biggest issues of the first week were not whether the students were learning what they were supposed to or not. After seeing an 8th grade boy beat a 7th grade girl to the point of hospitilization, he realized that the biggest issue in inner city schools may not be the achievement gap. He says there is regular violent fighting, students dealing marajuana in the hall way, smuggling knives into the school, and stealing materials from the school. He also said one of the biggest issues during the middle of the month, when many of the student's families have run out of food stamps, is making sure his kinds have enough to eat and are not hungry (not their test scores). How is even a quality teacher suposed to effectively teach students in this environment? During class, teachers much of the time need to be worried about all the hands above the table rather than teaching material. I think some problems like school violence need to be solved before you can actually concentrate on academics. For people, like myself, who have not experienced anything like this, i think it is unfair for us to attack the quality of teaching in these areas.