The achievement gap between white and non-white students: a conceptual  (Page 11/19)

Distribution of highly qualified teachers can create opportunities for all students, regardless of their economic background or ethnic status (Haycock, 2003). School districts must also be willing to increase teachers’ salaries to reduce teacher attrition and attract qualified teachers that are needed to close the achievement gap. Weiher (2000) reported that school districts that increased teacher pay and hired teachers who were minorities experienced an increase in minority student achievement on standardized test scores.

Similarly, Gandara and Contreras (2009) wrote that Latinos specifically were not receiving the “highly qualified” teachers who were necessary to achieve academic success (p. 103). Highly qualified teachers affect students’ success through the expectations they hold for them. High expectations and support are needed from preschool through college for many Latino students who are unsure and face many obstacles. To the contrary, Wenglinsky (2004) noted that teachers who receive a master’s degree “raised the gap by three points, suggesting that better educated teachers may be less responsive to the needs of low achieving students” (p. 7). Additionally, the more testing experienced by students, the poorer the performance on standardized achievement tests.

Simpson, LaCava, and Graner (2004) stated that hiring highly qualified educators is not an issue for most schools. The argument does not lie in whether teachers are qualified to educate and instruct children. The issue lies in the “…the resources and assessment procedures associated…are clearly controversial” (p. 69). Success of students within a classroom depends on a variety of factors, including the resources and materials that are available. Highly qualified teachers are one indicator in increasing success and closing the achievement gap.

Bol and Berry (2005) conducted a survey of 379 teachers to determine their perceptions of contributors to achievement gaps among students. The majority of the teachers from schools with a large percentage of White students indicated that family support and students’ strong character (e.g., motivation, intellectual ability) contributed to academic achievement. Researchers also noted that teachers who instructed in schools with higher percentage of Hispanic students perceived language as a contributor to the academic achievement gap.

Achievement gap, early childhood education, and literacy

The success of students in early childhood classes (e.g., pre-kindergarten through first grade) is essential to future academic achievement (Early Reading First, n.d.). Preventative measures (such as early literacy programs) must be taken to ensure the success of low achieving students and students from minority backgrounds (Haskins&Rouse, 2005; Neuman&Dwyer, 2009). To ensure the academic achievement of all children, researchers have concluded that effective pre-natal care must be implemented (Goosby&Cheadle, 2009). Goosby and Cheadle (2009) reported that a child’s low birth weight directly influences future academic achievement in math and reading. Low birth weight has been associated with cognitive and physical delays in children.