It’s a long-festering problem in public education: the gap between white students and many racial and ethnic minorities on test scores, grades and other measures of student achievement.
The achievement gap has been the subject of research, rallies and hand-wringing by teachers and parents. And after years of study and a few false starts, leaders in the Tacoma School District pledged this week to do something about it after receiving a consultant’s report.
“This is a chance for us to wake up our community and go forward like never before,” said Kim Golding, Tacoma School Board president.
The gap is an issue of huge importance for Tacoma, where a majority of students – 51 percent – are members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Members of the School Board heard a report on the subject Thursday night from Thelma Jackson, a consultant from Olympia who has served on state education advisory boards as well as the North Thurston School Board.
Her report traces the history of the achievement gap in Tacoma, from desegregation efforts of the 1960s to the present. It also proposes at least one new idea for addressing it: eliminate chronic teacher absenteeism.
Students who are taught by substitute teachers, or who spend time in the library or gym because no substitute can be found, lose out on learning opportunities, Jackson told the board. And the impact can be greater on students who are already struggling.
The district should “ensure that all students are provided a highly-qualified teacher on a daily basis,” she said.
Jackson’s report focused on the achievement gap for black students – the largest minority group in Tacoma schools, with 23 percent of the student population.
But she said that the gap applies to other groups as well.
“When we make things better for African American students, we will make things better for all students,” she said.
The issue of teacher absenteeism sparked some of the most lively discussion Thursday.
“On any given day, hundreds, if not thousands of students in Tacoma schools are without a qualified teacher and/or substitute due to chronic absenteeism,” Jackson’s report stated. “This occurs mostly on Mondays and Fridays, and before and after holidays.”
Tacoma teachers earn 12 sick leave days a year, as well as an additional five days of leave that can be used for other reasons.
Laurie Taylor, assistant superintendent for human resources, said the district is working to create data that can help principals identify patterns of absenteeism. She also said the district is looking to provide respite for teachers who work with students who have emotionally or physically demanding problems.
Taylor said the district began last year to study absenteeism and to communicate to teachers that “we care whether they are in the classroom.”
Board member Jim Dugan said he’s not sure the need for respite is necessarily greater for teachers than for other kinds of workers. But he said he’s open to changing his mind, if the case can be proved.
Darrick Hartman, president of the Tacoma teachers union, said the district has mentioned teacher absenteeism in contract talks.
“Not from the perspective that it’s a huge pandemic, but more about how we can help reduce it,” he said.
Hartman said teachers may face more illness than other workers because they are exposed to sick children. And teachers may schedule medical procedures on Fridays so that they can include the weekend in their recovery time.
“Sometimes there are legitimate reasons as to why someone’s absent,” he said.
Hartman said the union supports the district’s right to investigate if it suspects a pattern of teacher absenteeism is becoming a problem.
Tacoma’s effort to close the achievement gap coincides with the start of a similar initiative at the state level. The state Achievement Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee also began meeting Thursday. It’s charged with developing ideas on how to narrow the gap.
A report on the state committee’s progress is due to the Legislature in January.
Tacoma Superintendent Art Jarvis said he wants to move forward with or without the state.
“It’s time for Tacoma to really take this issue on,” he said. “I wasn’t willing to wait and see what the Legislature might do, but wanted to see what Tacoma could begin to do.”
The achievement gap has been a sore spot for influential local black organizations. The Tacoma chapter of the NAACP and the Tacoma Ministerial Alliance opposed a $300 million school bond measure this year; the Black Collective ultimately endorsed the measure.
“I don’t think there has been a real positive connection between the district and the black community,” said Oscar Morris of the local NAACP. But he would like that to change.
The time for study of the problem is past, said Jim Walton, a member of the Black Collective. He said the black community is ready to get to work.
“We’ve been ready,” he said. “We have to figure out how to get it in motion and get action.”
He said it’s important for the entire community to get behind the effort.
“It’s in all of our best interests that we produce well-rounded, well-prepared, well-educated kids,” he said.
Debbie Cafazzo: 253-597-8635
debbie.cafazzo@thenewstribune.com
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