Report: Student achievement gap wide
By Andrew Shaw, Greenwich Times, March 16, 2008

Greenwich High School has one of the largest achievement gaps in the state between the performance of black students and the student body overall, despite test scores that were above the state average for both groups, according to a statewide ranking by an independent organization.

Results of the 2007 Connecticut Aptitude and Performance Test were used to rank all of the state's high schools by ConnCAN -- the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now -- a nonprofit organization that tracks achievement gap problems. In a report released in late February, ConnCAN officials said Greenwich High School was among high schools with the largest achievement gaps ever recorded on state standardized tests.

ConnCAN spokesman Marc Magee said Greenwich historically has had one of the largest achievement gaps, despite its resources.

"It's a microcosm of what's happening in Connecticut. It's not a question of resources. It's not a question of poverty," Magee said. "It's a question of how a school organization that is dealing with students with different levels is providing instruction. Unfortunately, the (Greenwich) school system isn't catching up."

On average in Greenwich, the gap between black students reaching the so-called "goal" level and the overall student population was 53 percentage points in all subjects, according to ConnCAN data. Goal level is defined by the state as possessing abilities that are reasonable to expect of students within their grade level. By comparison, the state average is a 43 percentage point difference between black and white students performing at goal level.

Overall, about 70 percent of Greenwich High School students reach goal level, compared to a state average of 47 percent, the ConnCAN data show. About 24 percent of black students in Greenwich reached the goal level, compared to a state average of 15 percent for blacks.

Headmaster Alan Capasso said he finds the ranking dubious because there are only 89 black students in the 2,700 student body, or about 3 percent, as of last school year. "The sample size is so small," Capasso said.

Capasso said he is worried about the achievement gap between poor students, defined as those who receive free or reduced-cost school lunches, and those who are better off and do not rely on such assistance. Greenwich has a 44 percentage point difference between poor students and other students who performed at goal level, higher than the state average of 39 percent. About 30 percent of poor Greenwich High School students reached goal level, higher than the state average of 17 percent.

About 7.5 percent of Greenwich High School students receive free or reduced-cost lunch.

Capasso said he attributes the gap to the greater educational opportunities wealthier students have at home.

However, Greenwich ranked second in the state with the second-smallest achievement gap between the performance of Hispanic students and that of the overall student body. Norwich Technical High school ranked first. Thirteen percent of GHS students are Hispanic.

"This is still an issue for Greenwich. I still strongly believe that if your system is really an excellent system, you're addressing all the needs of children in your district," said Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg. "It's very hard. You always try to catch up. But it doesn't mean you don't try. It doesn't mean it can't be done."