Closing the achievement gap: A systemic view

Abstract

Closing the achievement gap has become an American mantra over the last decade, as federal and state policies have sought to reduce unequal educational outcomes largely by setting targets and sanctions based on student test scores. And while some progress has been made since 1990, gaps in achievement between affluent and low-income students in the USA have remained large and persistent, while a number of other countries around the world have made stunning strides over the last 30 years in both raising overall achievement and reducing differentials across students and schools, including those from low-income communities and historical minority groups.