Sacramento middle school addresses ethnic achievement gap

Every other Wednesday morning at T.R. Smedberg Middle School in south Sacramento, about 30 seventh- and eighth-grade students meet to talk about something that confounds educators: the achievement gap.

The achievement gap most often refers to the difference in academic achievement between ethnic groups.

Forget think tanks, ivory towers, educational consultants and experts – these students know firsthand what it's like to be an African American or Latino student in a public school.

"I feel like some teachers pretend not to see you," said Jocelyn Arboleda, a freshman at Sheldon High School who participated in the Achievement Gap Club at Smedberg last year.

"Some students, instead of raising their hands, will yell out an answer," said Sheldon freshman and club alum Ajonte Britton. "It's a cultural difference."

Club members brief their teachers about what they, as students, think should be done about teaching students of color. They tell staff members what it's like to be an African American or a Latino student.

Last year, the students also made a video in which they and their teachers talked frankly about expectations, stereotypes, cultural differences and the achievement gap.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced in January that closing the achievement gap has become his top priority, but Smedberg Principal Keven MacDonald might have beaten him to the punch. He started the Achievement Gap Club at Smedberg two years ago.

"I came in with six binders of research and threw them on the floor," said MacDonald, recalling the club's first meeting. "I said to the students, 'These experts don't have the answers. The gap has existed for 50 years. Why don't you tell me what we need to do?' "

The achievement gap is the topic of an ongoing conversation among educators across the country. It refers to the difference in academic achievement of white and Asian American students vs. students of color, those learning to speak English, economically disadvantaged students and those with disabilities.

A few weeks ago, MacDonald brought the Latino and Achievement Gap clubs together for a "refresher" on the gap and what it looks like in test scores.

"Whites are scoring here," he said, pointing to the space in front of him. "Every time the whites go up, Latinos and blacks go up, too, but the gap remains.

"Don't be down on yourself," he said, "this has been happening across the country for 50 years. So, this is not about you. The school system is broken."

He used a PowerPoint presentation to show his students recent standardized test scores, broken down by race.

"It says here, for all people to see, that African American and Latino students don't score as high as white and Asians," he said. "My problem with that is … you're no less smart than any other ethnic group."

MacDonald began a parable about two fish: a seawater marlin and a freshwater pond trout. The marlin represents Latino and African American students, and the trout, whites and Asians, he said. The freshwater pond is the school, which is largely based on a white cultural model.

"You can't take a freshwater fish, put him in with saltwater fish and expect him to survive," he said, or vice versa. "But if you take a little bit of salt and sprinkle it in the freshwater," MacDonald said, then both kinds of fish can survive in that pond, "and this is no longer a white school."

The salt, for MacDonald, seems to be an effort to establish communication, empathy and cultural awareness between staff and students.

So, at each club meeting, which MacDonald has described as a "trust zone," the kids talk openly about their experiences with race and school.

After a recent meeting, two girls complained to MacDonald about a remark a teacher made recently. They considered it racist. MacDonald listened. He asked the girls to reflect on what they'd like to say to the teacher when they meet – just the three of them – to explain their feelings.

Tim Herrera, communications director for the Sacramento County Office of Education, said Smedberg seems to be unique in its approach to the achievement gap.

He said he doesn't know of any similar programs in the county. The closest would be the Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, program, but closing the gap is more a byproduct of AVID's college prep curriculum, he said.

Former students, now at Sheldon High, return to Smedberg every Wednesday morning to tutor, encourage and solve problems with their younger African American and Latino counterparts.

Sheldon juniors Myia Williams, Brittany Bright and Nicole Thomas have returned to Smedberg every Wednesday morning for three years to tutor African American students in math.

"It's good to give back," said Bright, who said she often tells the boys they tutor to set realistic goals.

Williams piped in: "I say, 'You need an education to fall back on. You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than making it to the NBA.' "

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