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New PARCC scores show across-the-board gains, troubling achievement gaps
Providence, R.I.—RI-CAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now released the following statement on the state’s second year of PARCC test results:
“This year’s PARCC data show promising signs: Rhode Island students have made gains across the board in math and in five grades in ELA. Our state’s educators and students have stepped up to the challenge laid out last year to increase proficiency. We should be proud of the improvements made,” says Director of Strategy Daniela Fairchild.
“Still, the 27 percentage point gap between low-income and non-low-income students, as well as persistent achievement gaps for students of color, is unacceptable. These improvements are a strong first step. We must continue working to improve our schools, especially those in our urban core, so that a student’s demography does not determine her destiny.”
The 2015-2016 school year marks the sixth year since Rhode Island adopted the Common Core State Standards and the second year students took aligned math and English language arts assessments, known as PARCC.
For interviews with Daniela Fairchild or for more information, please contact Udeitha Srimushnam at udeitha.srimushnam@50can.org or (408) 655-7775.
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Launched in 2010, RI-CAN: The Rhode Island Campaign for Achievement Now is a nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality public education options for all Rhode Island kids, regardless of their address. We work to create learning environments that best meet every child’s need through five policy principles: starting earlier, expanding choices, aiming higher, cultivating talent and reaching everyone.