Stanford-coordinated study finds persistent inequities in California public schools

October 22, 2018

By Carolyn Chun

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The report indicated that there is a persistent economic and racial achievement gap in California that well surpasses the national average. While students in affluent areas in California match the average performance of students in affluent areas nationwide, students in low-income California districts are scoring an average of a full grade level behind low-income students in other states.

“We’re not failing our rich kids,” said Sean Reardon, professor at the GSE and researcher in the study. “We’re not, as a state, providing as much educational opportunity for our low- and middle-income communities and kids.”

The racial achievement achievement gap between black and white students, and between Latino and white students, is also more significant in California than in most other states, according to the study. The researchers suggest that these economic and racial achievement disparities are part of the reason why California continues to trail other states in academic testing, with average scores well below the national average in 2017.

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