‘Race gap’ on test scores concerns officials

Friday, July 13, 2001 | 11:17 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A report Thursday of a strong showing among students statewide on the High School Proficiency Exam was tempered with concern over results turned in by minority students.

The state Department of Education released the report to the state Board of Education, whose members wondered if enough was being done to help minority students achieve better grades.

Education officials suggested that one answer to the "race gap" is to provide more one-on-one instruction. They also said summer school should be more of an option for students who are falling behind.

Overall, the report says that a preliminary accounting of the test scores shows that 92.9 percent of the high school seniors statewide passed the math portion of the exam, and 97.5 percent passed the reading portion. Passing the exams is necessary in order for students to receive diplomas.

A total of 18,602 students have so far taken the math test and 18,527 have taken the reading portion. The numbers vary because not all students take the exams at the same time. Not all of the scores have yet been tallied on the exams, which students began taking in October 2000.

Writing is the third component of the exam and the report estimated that when all the scoring is complete that 99 percent of the students who took the exam will have passed that portion.

Keith Rheault, deputy state superintendent of public instruction, said the percentages of pass/fail are about the same as last year. He said seniors who have failed can take the exam again during the summer and earn a diploma if they pass.

As of June 1, there were still 1,324 students required to pass math before they could get their high school diploma and 453 students who have failed the reading examination. Rheault said only a few didn't clear the writing test.

State Board of Education members expressed concerned that minority students score lower than their white and Asian counterparts.

State Superintendent Jack McLaughlin said Nevada's minority students reflect a national issue.

"There is still a gap by race," he told the board.

Paul La Marca, who compiles the statewide testing results, said this problem "is not unique to Nevada."

But there's no data available to compare how minority students in Nevada compare with other states, education officials said.

Board member Marcia Washington of Las Vegas said she had a serious concern that minority kids "are not getting the help they need."

McLaughlin said his "top goal" is to eliminate the race gap and to push all the students to the top. He said there must be more summer school sessions and additional tutoring. There should be more "one on one" instruction, he said.

He said he was working with Clark County on a "hands on" approach to raising achievement.

There were questions by board members about whether the tests were racially biased or if the teachers were not giving proper instruction.

Board member Gary Waters of Las Vegas, however, said students and their families must begin taking more responsibility.

"I see students excel in schools where there is massive failure. How can some do it and some not?" he asked.

Board member John Gwaltney of Reno noted there is a growing population of Hispanics. And many of these students have limited English proficiency and score lower than the Nevada average.

Over the next decade, Gwaltney said, the 7 percent who didn't pass the reading examination could grow to 20 percent.

The breakdown on the high school math proficiency test showed that only 78.2 percent of black students passed the examination. It showed 83.4 percent of the Hispanics passing. Yet 96.2 percent of whites students passed and 92.9 percent of Asian students passed.

On the reading examination, the pass rate was 99 percent for whites, 95.7 percent for Asians; 94.9 percent for African Americans and 92.5 percent for Hispanics.

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