Open Discussion Forum

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------

There are so many layers to this article. The persistence of the achievement gap is clear. While poverty and lack of opportunity play a role, this article about Montgomery County, Maryland, indicates that the gap exists in higher income communities as well. Is this where all that has been documented about what's wrong with standardized tests comes into play? Is it really an opportunity gap? A cultural gap? This pressing issue festers from circumstances both inside and outside of educational settings. This School Board's actions to decisively shut down any "bad publicity" about the district rather than engage in a different strategy that could potentially improve educational outcomes for children of color is both sad and outrageous - appearances over substance. How many other districts defy the data and potential innovations even today?

------------------------------
Jerlean Daniel
Curtis Bay MD
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 02:37 PM
From: Petrea Fletcher
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------

Good morning.  In reading this article about closing the gap, it made me think about a class that I am currently taking for a second master's in Social Work.  I am a careered educator/administrator for twenty-five plus years and have decided to return to school for a second career.  Anyway, we are discussing implicit biases, or as renamed by a Harvard Psychologist, unintentional biases.  I ask myself if blind tests were given to all students in this particular school, how would the final assessment results turn out?  I would also like to add that by doing a better job of closing the achievement gaps in education we have a powerful opportunity to change the future of our communities, nation and world.  Sometimes we just need to take a look at what our core belief and value systems to determine if there is alignment in what we are supporting or working with.  From an educator's lens in a small rural town in Iowa, I wish that this researcher's ideas were tested and looked into a bit more before by the local school board closed the door on him.  Afterall, education is a business where we should all be life-time learners which, at the end of the day, may require change.

------------------------------
Kristy Liechti
Kristy Liechti
Lake View IA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 10:58 PM
From: Jerlean Daniel
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

There are so many layers to this article. The persistence of the achievement gap is clear. While poverty and lack of opportunity play a role, this article about Montgomery County, Maryland, indicates that the gap exists in higher income communities as well. Is this where all that has been documented about what's wrong with standardized tests comes into play? Is it really an opportunity gap? A cultural gap? This pressing issue festers from circumstances both inside and outside of educational settings. This School Board's actions to decisively shut down any "bad publicity" about the district rather than engage in a different strategy that could potentially improve educational outcomes for children of color is both sad and outrageous - appearances over substance. How many other districts defy the data and potential innovations even today?

------------------------------
Jerlean Daniel
Curtis Bay MD

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 02:37 PM
From: Petrea Fletcher
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------

This example of courageous action is inspiring.

------------------------------
Valora Washington
Council for Professional Recognition
Washington DC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2017 08:36 AM
From: Kristy Liechti
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Good morning.  In reading this article about closing the gap, it made me think about a class that I am currently taking for a second master's in Social Work.  I am a careered educator/administrator for twenty-five plus years and have decided to return to school for a second career.  Anyway, we are discussing implicit biases, or as renamed by a Harvard Psychologist, unintentional biases.  I ask myself if blind tests were given to all students in this particular school, how would the final assessment results turn out?  I would also like to add that by doing a better job of closing the achievement gaps in education we have a powerful opportunity to change the future of our communities, nation and world.  Sometimes we just need to take a look at what our core belief and value systems to determine if there is alignment in what we are supporting or working with.  From an educator's lens in a small rural town in Iowa, I wish that this researcher's ideas were tested and looked into a bit more before by the local school board closed the door on him.  Afterall, education is a business where we should all be life-time learners which, at the end of the day, may require change.

------------------------------
Kristy Liechti
Kristy Liechti
Lake View IA

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 10:58 PM
From: Jerlean Daniel
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

There are so many layers to this article. The persistence of the achievement gap is clear. While poverty and lack of opportunity play a role, this article about Montgomery County, Maryland, indicates that the gap exists in higher income communities as well. Is this where all that has been documented about what's wrong with standardized tests comes into play? Is it really an opportunity gap? A cultural gap? This pressing issue festers from circumstances both inside and outside of educational settings. This School Board's actions to decisively shut down any "bad publicity" about the district rather than engage in a different strategy that could potentially improve educational outcomes for children of color is both sad and outrageous - appearances over substance. How many other districts defy the data and potential innovations even today?

------------------------------
Jerlean Daniel
Curtis Bay MD

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 02:37 PM
From: Petrea Fletcher
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------

I hope Joe Hawkins continues to speak about the achievement gap.  His voice is needed across the country.

------------------------------
Cecile Tousignant
Child Tools Consulting
Fitchburg MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-28-2017 07:46 AM
From: Valora Washington
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

This example of courageous action is inspiring.

------------------------------
Valora Washington
Council for Professional Recognition
Washington DC

Original Message:
Sent: 08-27-2017 08:36 AM
From: Kristy Liechti
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Good morning.  In reading this article about closing the gap, it made me think about a class that I am currently taking for a second master's in Social Work.  I am a careered educator/administrator for twenty-five plus years and have decided to return to school for a second career.  Anyway, we are discussing implicit biases, or as renamed by a Harvard Psychologist, unintentional biases.  I ask myself if blind tests were given to all students in this particular school, how would the final assessment results turn out?  I would also like to add that by doing a better job of closing the achievement gaps in education we have a powerful opportunity to change the future of our communities, nation and world.  Sometimes we just need to take a look at what our core belief and value systems to determine if there is alignment in what we are supporting or working with.  From an educator's lens in a small rural town in Iowa, I wish that this researcher's ideas were tested and looked into a bit more before by the local school board closed the door on him.  Afterall, education is a business where we should all be life-time learners which, at the end of the day, may require change.

------------------------------
Kristy Liechti
Kristy Liechti
Lake View IA

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 10:58 PM
From: Jerlean Daniel
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

There are so many layers to this article. The persistence of the achievement gap is clear. While poverty and lack of opportunity play a role, this article about Montgomery County, Maryland, indicates that the gap exists in higher income communities as well. Is this where all that has been documented about what's wrong with standardized tests comes into play? Is it really an opportunity gap? A cultural gap? This pressing issue festers from circumstances both inside and outside of educational settings. This School Board's actions to decisively shut down any "bad publicity" about the district rather than engage in a different strategy that could potentially improve educational outcomes for children of color is both sad and outrageous - appearances over substance. How many other districts defy the data and potential innovations even today?

------------------------------
Jerlean Daniel
Curtis Bay MD

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 02:37 PM
From: Petrea Fletcher
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------

​Thanks to all for such stimulating responses.  I am struck, though, that little mention was made about starting early.  This website is an early childhood venue for important discussions.  I believe that in order to make any significant change in this ever growing gap, we must begin with parent's parenting skills and the life of newborns and children long before they begin school.  Young children requirements are simple and free....they need love, beauty, community, language, and someone who sees them and offers them an environment that can provide moments of wonder, joy, awe, peace.  These qualities can be found anywhere.  Grass and trees and amazing insects can be found in inner cities as well as in parks, suburbs, and the countryside.  When children receive these qualities early in life they are better learners.  These thoughts are supported by studies and research in brain research....and, the parent and/or educator who provides these qualities of life also benefit.  I often wonder - When will adults begin to see what is in front of them and realize the importance of the early years along with respect for each other and delight in nature.  I must sound so Pollyanna like, but stop and think about it.
Thanks,.
Deb

------------------------------
Deborah Schein
Minneapolis MN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 10:58 PM
From: Jerlean Daniel
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

There are so many layers to this article. The persistence of the achievement gap is clear. While poverty and lack of opportunity play a role, this article about Montgomery County, Maryland, indicates that the gap exists in higher income communities as well. Is this where all that has been documented about what's wrong with standardized tests comes into play? Is it really an opportunity gap? A cultural gap? This pressing issue festers from circumstances both inside and outside of educational settings. This School Board's actions to decisively shut down any "bad publicity" about the district rather than engage in a different strategy that could potentially improve educational outcomes for children of color is both sad and outrageous - appearances over substance. How many other districts defy the data and potential innovations even today?

------------------------------
Jerlean Daniel
Curtis Bay MD

Original Message:
Sent: 08-25-2017 02:37 PM
From: Petrea Fletcher
Subject: Researcher's fight to close achievement gap irked school board for years

Hello all!
Additional information to continue the discussion of  raising awareness in closing the achievement gap.
Until there is no more need for discussion and results occur for children!
The link is below and article attached.

Peace!
Petrea Hicks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/researchers-fight-to-close-achievement-gap-irked-school-board-for-years/2017/08/24/b66e6b74-8799-11e7-a94f-3139abce39f5_story.html?utm_term=.1a36fed66f8a

------------------------------
Petrea Hicks M.Ed.
ECE Consultant
XYZ...the end result! LLC
Gaithersburg MD
------------------------------