John P. Kelly
Boerne ISD

In the 1960s, the famous Coleman Report was released. Among its conclusions was that the variable most likely to predict student achievement scores of a school is the underlying socio-economic status of the community. 

A longitudinal analysis of Boerne ISD’s testing results bears this out. Our growing suburban population comprises 18 to 20 percent economically disadvantaged students, a percentage substantially lower than the average school district. In 2007, our overall achievement results were very high with more than 90 percent of our students passing each of the TAKS tests. Our College Board SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement scores are also much higher than in most districts.  But there are big gaps between our overall results and those of our least wealthy students. 

Whereas 97 percent of our students passed the TAKS reading test, only 88 percent of our economically disadvantaged students did so. Here are the differences for our other TAKS tested subjects:  Writing – 95 percent/88 percent; Social Studies 97percent/85 percent; Math 91 percent/74 percent; Science 91 percent/66 percent. The science achievement gap, which was tested in three grades last year, resulted in our district’s current rating of “Acceptable,” the first time in nine years we were not proclaimed a recognized district. 

Many disadvantaged Boerne students come from one-parent families, or are being raised alternately by an aunt, uncle or a grandparent.  While holding down one or more jobs, or while trying to get the education for a better job, the single parent figure finds it very difficult to provide the type of homework help and school involvement that characterizes most of the rest of our community. Their children seem to move in and out of our district more often, are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities and may feel some isolation from peers at school for these and other reasons. They go home to an empty house with no one telling them to do their homework. When mom is there, she may not understand English – and often does not have the education necessary to offer the child help beyond the early elementary years. If the child attempts homework at all, he must often do it alone, without a computer for research – and without the financial help for extras like calculators and poster board. So the child goes outside, looks for friends in similar situations – and just “hangs out”. 

This year, more than ever, Boerne ISD and our greater community have added services designed to help these struggling students. In addition to various types of supplemental education during the school day, our teachers are offering as many as four days per week of on-campus after-school tutorials. The Priority Student Initiatives (better known as Sam’s Kids) continue to collect funds from our generous community that are then used to give some children what most already have.

But eliminating the achievement gap requires more.