Solving Minnesota's Achievement Gap

The Early Catastrophe The 30 Million Word Gap by Age 3 From, American Federation of Teacher Spring 2003 The Importance of Early Years Experiences We learned from the longitudinal data that the problem of skill differences among children at the time of school entry is bigger, more intractable, and more important than we had thought. So much is happening to children during the first three years at home, at a time they are especially malleable and uniquely dependent on the…

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Why is this important? Applying best practices in teaching children, as determined by major research universities will provide the most effective and cost-effective results in decreasing the achievement gap. Teaching core life skills are essential for children to function in school and life. Summary • Children learn effectively from the ‘give and take’ or ‘serve and return’ interaction with caregivers. • Reading to a child from birth forward is beneficial however it is only one of the tools children need…

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What Segment of Society Does AG Exist? Why is this important?Narrowing the segment of the population where the problem of achievement gap resides allows resources to be directed at that segment. SummaryThe education gap exists in the impoverished families. High school students graduating on time by income Minnesota, 2012-2019   Higher-income students 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Graduation rate 89.5% 91.0% 91.9% 92.5% 92.6% 93.1% 93.2% 93.4% Number of graduates 36,528 35,863 35,076 35,143 34,714 35,075 35,484…

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Research Why is this important? These skills are crucial for learning and development. They also enable positive behavior and allow us to make healthy choices for ourselves and our families. Summary Children aren’t born with these skills—they are born with the potential to develop them. These skills start to show by age 3 when in a positive environment These skills are the mental processes that enable us to: o Plan o Focus attention o Remember instruction o Juggle multiple tasks…

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Why is this important? Consider that kindergarten readiness in Minnesota is around 50%, simply educating all new families will have significant increase in the Achievement Gap. “Compared to parents with limited knowledge of child development, those with more knowledge engage in higher-quality parent-child interactions, use more effective parenting strategies, and participate in more developmentally supportive activities with their children.” https://www.childtrends.org/publications/parenting-knowledge-among-first-time-parents-of-young-children-a-research-to-practice-brief) New parents across all economic segments would benefit from education on best practices of parenting their children from birth. Summary…

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Research Why is this important? Understanding the root of the problem will provide information on how the issue can be addressed. Summary Toxic stress, particularly in the first three years of a child’s life impedes the development of children. • physical or emotional abuse • chronic neglect • caregiver substance abuse or mental illness • exposure to violence • accumulated burdens of family economic hardship • Without the adequate adult support Research “Toxic stress response can occur when a child…

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Why is this important? Funding a quality program for impoverished children from birth to 5 years old actually has a payback on those dollars invested, as high as $16 for every dollar spent. Summary Children that show up ‘kindergarten ready’ require fewer services from the school system, throughout their education and are more likely to graduate. • As they move through life, they will be less likely to require additional government subsidies. • They are more likely to become taxpayers….

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