The impact of recent educational reforms on minority and low achieving students and on minority and all high achieving students

Abstract

One of the criticisms of the recent educational reforms sweeping the nation is that low achieving and minority students will not be helped by the reforms. The reforms, some contend, will be harmful to low achieving and minority students because the higher standards and testing programs, which are typically included in the reforms, may actually create new barriers blocking at-risk student progress. This investigation studied this contention in South Carolina, which has been rich in educational reforms. Early evidence from this state indicates that the achievement of Black students and low achieving students of all races was not blocked by the reforms in South Carolina. In fact, low achieving students, Black and all students, made substantial progress in South Carolina since a combination of educational reforms have been in process.