By Stacy Henrie
The gap in math scores between minority and white fourth grade students has increased in Utah schools according a 10-year education study.
The National Education Goals Panel released this month their report, Raising Achievement and Reducing Gaps: Reporting Progress Toward Goals for Academic Achievement in Mathematics, compiling the research of the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
The NAEP measured the mathematical achievements of fourth graders between 1992 and 2000 and eighth graders between 1990 and 2000 from public schools in participating states.
The NAEP used the difference in scores between white and minority students as one of several factors to compare math education among states.
The report concluded that all of the states involved showed an increase in math scores.
None of the states involved in the study closed the gap between minority and white eighth grade math scores. According to the report, however, the gap in minority and white fourth grade scores decreased in both Georgia and North Carolina. James Birrell, a BYU professor in elementary school education, said, 'No question there is a need to address educational equity.'
Minority students who come to the United States without having the best academic background are placed in a classroom based on chronological age instead of performance, he said.
Birrell said he teaches his students to learn compassion, patience, and ability to look at potential. He tells them, 'failure is only feedback. Next time, try something else.'
Karla Allred, 23, a teacher at Franklin Elementary School in Provo, said her school has various programs to assist the large population of Hispanic students and their parents.
She said the school offers classes to educate parents and extend learning into the home.
She said the school teaches and helps parents create different games and activities to help teach their children outside the classroom, and translators are available at all classes.
'We also have meetings once a month with just our Hispanic parents to address issues about the way the American school system works,' Allred said.
There is also an after school program, a free hour to help students with math, reading and ESL skills, she said.
She said in the last four or five years, the school has seen an increase in student math scores in all grades.
Timpanogos Elementary School in Provo also has different programs to help minority students, according to its principal Dale Porter.
A program, called One to One, allows children who are beginning to speak English work with trained individuals to learn reading and writing skills, he said.
Another program at the school, Dual Immersion, has two classes in each of the first and second grades in which all students learn half day in English and half day in Spanish, he said.
The idea is that students will become proficient in both languages, he said.
However, principal Porter said, 'I don''t think we''re doing enough.'
He said the ultimate goal is to help minority students be able to compete by the time they are in the 12th grade.