When Does the Racial Achievement Gap First Appear?So it’s white people’s fault.According to a new study, Latino kindergarteners are about three months behind their white peers in math.
NATALIE GROSS FEB 22, 2017 EDUCATION
Latino students in kindergarten trail their white peers in math by approximately three months’ worth of learning, a new study by Child Trends Hispanic Institute has found. …
And while students’ family incomes, parent education levels, primary languages, and quantity of books in the home all accounted for differences in math skills among Latino students, the achievement gap between Latino and white students is still evident after accounting for these background differences.
“We don’t have all the answers for this one,” Murphey said. “However, it is likely that prejudice, both interpersonal and systemic, plays a role. We know that when teachers, parents, communities, and the culture at large hold negative stereotypes (including low academic expectations) of minority-group members, and don’t positively affirm cultural diversity, their performance suffers. This sort of bias has a long historical legacy and will not be quickly undone.”
