Student Achievement/Achievement Gap

Evaluating school district results for the Broad Prize

Each year, MPR helps selection committees choose the winners of the $2 million Broad Prize for Urban Education. The Broad Prize recognizes large, urban school districts that improve overall student performance while reducing achievement gaps for low-income and minority students. MPR prepares comprehensive reports for each of the 100 eligible districts that analyze data from all school districts in 40 states to provide comparisons across districts. Learn more about The Broad Prize. See the report for the 2009 winner, analysis and design by MPR.

Evaluating extended reading instruction

Does extended instruction with READ 180, a structured reading program produced by Scholastic, Inc., help low-performing students advance? The answer: Sometimes, but careful implementation is critical. MPR evaluated the effectiveness of READ 180 as an after-school program, examining implementation and a variety of student outcomes. View Report

Measuring student achievement gaps

The achievement gap between more and less advantaged students is a long-standing problem in U. S. education, despite myriad efforts to close the gap. Measuring “the achievement gap” in K-12 education, however, is not necessarily a straightforward proposition. Accurate analysis depends on defining the achievement gap carefully, having sufficient relevant data, and determining which comparisons are the most appropriate. MPR staff explored these issues in a Phi Delta Kappan article, “Which Achievement Gap?” Read more.