Dallas Morning News discusses Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams, who is a conservative Republican: "Williams, speaking at the annual Texas Assessment Conference, said the school accountability system his staff is drafting will be based on four key criteria: student achievement on the STAAR exam, progress on the test, college readiness of students and progress in closing the white-minority achievement gap.
But he said Texas’ demographic trends call for an emphasis on helping black and Hispanic students, who now make up 65 percent of public school enrollment. 'I am going to weight closing the performance gap a little heavier than the other three,' he told the gathering of student testing administrators. 'We have got to close that gap so we can fill jobs, recruit new jobs and generate wealth and prosperity for the state.'"
Booker Rising response: "Closing the gap" means little, if all the key races in Texas are underperforming compared to what America needs in a 21st-century economy. After all, white students ain't the achievable "standard" either, when they're faulty in science and technology subjects as well. America hasn't had an agriculture-based economy in awhile, yet our school year is still set up in such a manner. The too-short school year undermines students' ability to retain information, and thus adequately learn subjects. In addition, the education system's assumption that the vast majority of students have potential to become Rhodes Scholars (when the reality is perhaps 1/3 at best) undermines maximizing the diverse skill strengths that students do have.
Williams Wants Focus On Closing TX Racial Achievement Gap
