Closing the Achievement Gap: 10 Strategies for School and District Leaders

Closing the achievement gap is a growing concern in U.S. education. Compared to a decade ago, the average NAEP math score for 13-year-olds has declined by 14 points for certain student groups.

In the United States, achievement gaps between white students and minority students, and high and low-income students have persisted over time. School and district leaders must take an active role in understanding, communicating, and problem solving to close achievement gaps for each and every student.

This article explores the current state of the achievement gap in American schools using the most recent (2022) federal math assessment data from the Nation’s Report Card. It also provides an overview of 10 strategies school and district leaders can focus on to close achievement gaps in math.

What is the achievement gap? 

An achievement gap is any statistically significant difference in the average achievement between two groups of students. Achievement gaps are calculated by comparing the average scores for two groups to determine if the difference between the two is significant. There may be a gap in reading achievement between girls and boys, or in math achievement between white students and students of ethnic minorities.

Addressing and closing the achievement gap is crucial for improving students’ academic performance across different demographics.

Achievement gaps identify areas of inequity in education and how opportunity gaps for different subgroups of students impact achievement. Currently, there is no one singular cause of academic achievement gaps. However, it is evident that a wide range of factors, structure and culture, influence student success in school.

Where are the achievement gaps? 

In the United States, the Nation’s Report Card provides data related to the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) tests in reading, math, and science.

Since 1969, the NAEP has been administered every two years. The test results show student achievement over time and, subsequently, persistent achievement gaps. 

The NAEP test assesses a random sample of students in public, private, and charter schools in grades 4, 8, and 12. Students are tested in reading and math, and in grade 8 in science.

In the most recent set of NAEP data (2022), only 36% of 4th graders scored proficient in math. This is a statistically significant decrease of five points from 2019.

School districts and school leaders tend to observe achievement gaps between: 

• Different ethnicities: for example, the achievement gap between 4th grade White students and Hispanic students in math is 22 points. The achievement gap between 4th grade White and African American students in math is 29 points. 

• Genders: male 4th grade students scored 6 points higher on the NAEP math test compared to female students. 

• Students who do and do not have a disability: students without disabilities scored 29 points higher on average than students with a disability. 

• Native and non-native English speakers: 4th grade students who are English language learners scored 23 points lower than students who are not English language learners. 

• High and low socioeconomic status households as measured by students who participate in the federal school lunch program: 4th grade students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch scored 20 points lower than those who were not eligible. In 8th and 12th grade, this grew to a 21 point difference between the two groups.

NAEP achievement gap data for 4th grade

Ethnicity

Race	Average math NAEP score	Percent of students in this category who scored at or above proficient
White	246	48%
African American	217	15%
Hispanic	224	22%
Asian/Pacific Islander	257	61%
American Indian/Alaska Native	221	22%
2 or more races	239	38%

Gender

Gender	Average math NAEP score	Percent of students in this category who scored proficient or higher
Male	239	40%
Female	233	32%

Disability

Disability classification	Average math NAEP score	Percent of students who scored proficient or higher
With a disability	212	16%
Without a disability	240	40%

English language learner status 

ELL status	Average math NAEP score	Percent of students who scored proficient or higher
English language learner	216	14%
Not an English language learner	239	40%

Socioeconomic Status 

ELL status	Average math NAEP score	Percent of students who scored proficient or higher
Eligible for the National School Lunch Program	223	20%
Not eligible for the National School Lunch Program	248	51%

Data from The Nations Report Card

Achievement gaps also persist over students’ progression from elementary through middle and high school. While the difference in gap differs, the trends in achievement gaps exist when students are in 4th, 8th, and 12th grade. 

Using data to close the achievement gap 

Data from the NAEP assessment shows an achievement gap, however it does not offer solutions on closing the achievement gap.

Schools and district leaders must interpret the data for their own schools. Then, they can understand how and what achievement gaps need prioritizing.

Using data to identify areas for improvement is a crucial step in closing the achievement gap. School and district leaders must analyze data to determine where students are struggling and what factors are contributing to the gap.

This involves examining student performance data, including standardized test scores, high school graduation rates, and other academic metrics.

To identify areas for improvement, schools and districts can use a variety of tools and strategies, including:

Find your achievement gap data

Look at school level, district level and state level data to analyze student performance, trends and patterns. This helps in pinpointing specific areas where students are underperforming.

If your district participates in the NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment, you can look at NAEP data just for your district. Otherwise, you can look at state level data.

Using this data, you can identify specific achievement gaps that exist in your school, district or state. If you have wider achievement gaps to other schools in your district or state, approach them and ask how they are teaching those subjects to help close the achievement gap.

If their gaps are around the same number of points or for the same student groups, get together to see how you can tackle achievement gaps for specific student groups or subjects.

Progress monitoring

Don’t just use summative assessments for achievement gap data. Progress monitoring throughout the year is crucial for closing the achievement gap. It helps to identify those students falling behind way before end-of-year or unit testing.

Consistent formative assessments provide useful information about how various student groups are performing. Use this information to identify students in need of an intervention or extra instruction. This data can also identify the effectiveness of targeted interventions over time. 

Analyze student enrollment

Review student enrollment to identify school-level achievement gaps. Notice trends in the skills students have or don’t have when they start at your school and consider how you structure interventions to remediate their skills. 

Collect feedback from enrolled students, teachers, and parents to identify areas for improvement. This provides a comprehensive view of the challenges faced by different student groups.

Curriculum gaps

Review the curriculum that teachers are using in the classroom. This can help to identify gaps that need addressing by adding or revising resources. 

Additionally, conduct a needs assessments to identify areas where students require additional support. This can include academic, social, and emotional needs.

Identifying areas for improvement and the specific students requiring extra help ensures that interventions are data-driven and tailored to meet the specific needs of struggling students. Specific and targeted strategies will help in closing the achievement gap and improve student outcomes.

10 strategies for school and district leaders to close the achievement gap

School and district leaders can focus school-wide interventions and partnerships to close the achievement gap and support struggling students who are performing lower than their peers. These initiatives involve implementing strategies and programs that support all students, regardless of their background or ability.

In general, strategies that target achievement gaps focus on strengthening professional learning, school systems, and community engagement to support students.

These strategies are designed to directly impact students’ academic performance, student outcomes and help close the achievement gap.

1. Targeted instruction

• Benefit: High-quality instruction, differentiated instruction 

• Explanation: Teachers and students should have high-quality, targeted instructional resources and strategies to support student engagement in Tier 1 coursework, or instruction in the general classroom. School leaders can gauge the effectiveness of classroom instruction using formative assessments to determine if the required 80% of students are reaching grade level benchmarks. If they are not, then the curriculum or pedagogies teachers are using should be re-evaluated. When high-quality instruction that targets foundational skills is in place, teachers can focus on providing extra support to students who are behind or who have special education needs to close achievement gaps. 

• Example: An elementary school reviews their math data and notices that 60% of students are making progress. Their math curriculum has not been updated in five years, so the principal initiates a committee to review the curriculum. The committee chooses a rigorous curriculum that uses research-based strategies and has two independent research studies that support its use. 

2. Culturally relevant curriculum

• Benefit: Increased student engagement

• Explanation: A culturally relevant curriculum (also known as culturally responsive teaching, or culturally relevant pedagogy) is an approach to teaching that incorporates students’ culture into the curriculum. Implementing teaching practices that are responsive to the cultural backgrounds and experiences of all students helps engage students and makes learning more relevant to their lives.Teachers’ and students’ materials should be culturally responsive to support student achievement through:

  • Reflective writing;

  • Cooperative learning;

  • Student-led discussions;

  • Storytelling;

  • Creating collaborative learning spaces. 

• Example: A teacher is working with fifth grade students on math word problems. The teacher engages the students in thinking about how the math concepts relate to their experience and challenges them to write math problems that are directly related to their communities. In reviewing the math problems, the teacher supports students’ ideas and helps them integrate math concepts and solutions. 

3. Extended learning time

• Benefit: Extra practice and conceptual understanding

• Explanation: Generally, the more time students spend in school, the higher they will score on achievement tests. One study that focused on California schools found a significantly positive relationship between the number of instructional minutes in a year and school standardized test scores. While the increase to each school day was only 15 minutes per day, it positively impacted student outcomes.  (Jez & Wassmer, 2013). Students can also receive extended time through after-school and summer programs.

  
  

  Researchers analyzed the results of after school programs on student outcomes and found that students who participated in high-quality after school programs demonstrated higher attendance and better performance in school on tests and grades. Summer programs, such as Third Space Learning’s online summer math tutoring program, help prevent learning loss and prepare students for the upcoming school year.

• Example: A school partners with a local after school program to share the math curriculum and math strategies that students are learning during the school day. The teachers train after school tutors so that they are better equipped to help students with their math homework, maximizing students’ after school learning time. 

4. Early childhood education programs

• Benefit: Early preparedness

• Explanation: Since the Perry Preschool project in the 1960s, we have known that providing students high-quality preschool pays off later in life. Implementing high-quality early childhood education programs supports students in the early years of their education. Early intervention can set a strong foundation for future academic success. Students who participate in high-quality preschool have better academic and social outcomes. A recent study of the New Jersey-based Abbot preschool program identified the following high-quality criteria:

  • A full-day pre-school program that lasts for two years;

  • High expectations and well-trained teachers;

  • Focus on ongoing improvement and track progress;

  • Provide for disadvantaged children who live in communities with high concentrations of poverty;

  • Belong to a larger system of academic improvement.

• Example: A high-quality preschool supports students’ math development by focusing on providing math materials and, when students are using them, reinforcing foundational math skills. For example, when a student collects sticks on the playground, the teacher observes and supports the student in placing the sticks into tally marks and counting in ones until they see that they have collected 15 sticks. 

5. Data-driven interventions

• Benefit: Real-time insights

• Explanation: Data-driven interventions are part of a school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework (also known as Response to Intervention). Effective MTSS uses data from regular formative assessments to understand the skills that students lack and provides effective, timely intervention to remediate and support students who have learning gaps. Research supports effective MTSS interventions that focus on academic interventions to improve student outcomes. 

• Example: A principal implements data conversations to support teachers’ use of data. The principal sets time aside during the school day, and hires substitutes to cover classes, so teachers can analyze math data and make a plan for how to adjust instruction to improve student outcomes. 

One-on-one math instruction with Third Space Learning can help accelerate student progress by up to 7 months in just 14 sessions.

6. One-on-one tutoring

• Benefit: Individualized attention, targeted instruction 

• Explanation: Tutoring, providing targeted one-on-one or small group instruction, is an effective way to boost achievement by targeting and addressing student gaps. It also improves students’ attitudes about math. In one review of 65 studies of school tutoring programs, researchers found that tutoring had positive effects on academic performance and attitudes of students. Students who received tutoring outperformed students who did not and had a better attitude towards the subject they were learning.

• Example: A principal invests in one-on-one online tutoring for fourth and fifth grade. Students are identified for tutoring and teachers set aside time for tutors to work with each student. The tutor provides the teacher with updates after each lesson so the teacher can align their lessons with what students are learning in tutoring. 

7. Teacher professional development

• Benefit: Improved teaching effectiveness, better student outcomes

• Explanation: Professional development can positively impact student outcomes. When teachers apply new skills in real-world settings with feedback and monitoring, they are more likely to make changes in their teaching practice that have a positive impact on student achievement.

  Professional coaching and ongoing support that addresses culturally responsive teaching and differentiation may support teachers in addressing and closing achievement gaps. 

• Example: After reviewing student data, the principal and instructional coach design a professional development session that focuses on how to teach data analysis, one of the areas that students were not proficient in.

  After the workshop, the principal and coach spend time in classrooms observing lessons and giving real-time feedback to support teachers in sharpening their practice to, in turn, support students. 

8. Parental engagement

• Benefit: Strong home-school connection

• Explanation: Parent involvement in their child’s education can have a positive impact on student academic performance. Parents are most effective when they support the idea that their child can achieve and can succeed in school, and when there is a strong student-teacher relationship.

  School leaders can focus on partnerships that support parents’ knowledge of how to support their child, focusing on positive relationships with school and a growth mindset for students.

• Example: The school principal plans a 10 minute presentation during a school festival to explain the school policies for their math approach. They provide three things the students’ families can do at home to provide ongoing support. As the turnout for the festival is always high, the principal knows this is an opportunity to support parents’ knowledge as well. 

9. Access to technology

• Benefit: Equity in education

• Explanation: Technology is a relatively new tool for addressing achievement gaps. Access to technology in schools has become ubiquitous. In 2021, 97% of U.S. children had access to the internet through a computer or phone. This almost universal access to the internet and online tools expands the impact that online math platforms and instruction can have. Research shows a positive relationship between technology, math achievement and motivation.

• Example: A school invests in an online math platform that students use in school and at home. Teachers can review information from the platform to support in-class instruction and parents can see how their child is progressing. 

10. Social and emotional learning (SEL)

• Benefit: Better emotional well-being

• Explanation: Social-emotional learning programs support students’ ability to manage their emotions, build resilience, and stay focused. According to CASEL, participating in an SEL program has a positive impact on students’ academic achievement, attendance, grades, and homework completion. 

• Example: When teachers introduce new math concepts, introduce the material alongside an SEL skill, like perseverance. The teacher provides encouragement and feedback when students are demonstrating persistence, or when they get frustrated. 

School-wide initiatives can help create a positive and supportive learning environment that promotes student achievement and success. Implementing these initiatives can help schools close the achievement gap and improve student outcomes.

Addressing systemic barriers

Addressing systemic barriers is a critical component of closing the achievement gap. Systemic barriers, such as poverty, racism, and lack of access to quality education, can have a significant impact on student achievement and success. To address these barriers, schools and districts must implement strategies and programs that tackle the root causes of the gap.

Some examples of strategies and programs that can help address systemic barriers include:

• Providing access to quality education: Ensuring that all students have access to quality education, regardless of their background or ability. This includes equitable funding, resources, and opportunities for all students.

• Addressing poverty: Implementing programs and strategies that address poverty, such as providing food and clothing assistance. Schools can partner with community organizations to support students’ basic needs.

• Addressing racism: Implementing programs and strategies that address racism, such as diversity and inclusion training. Creating an inclusive school culture where all students feel valued and respected is essential.

• Providing support services: Providing support services, such as counseling and mentoring, to support students who are struggling. These services can help students overcome personal and academic challenges.

Addressing systemic barriers helps schools and districts create a more equitable and just education system that promotes student achievement and success.

This comprehensive approach ensures that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Implementing and sustaining change

Implementing changes to close the achievement gap is a fantastic star, but schools and districts must ensure they are evaluating the changes. Positive impact changes must be sustained and those that aren’t working, need to be changed to ensure long-term success.

Some examples of implementing and sustaining change include:

• Professional development: Provide professional development for teachers and staff to support the implementation of new strategies and programs. Ongoing training helps educators stay current with best practices and continuously improve their teaching.

• Build capacity: Build capacity within schools and districts to support the implementation of new strategies and programs. This includes developing leadership skills and creating a culture of continuous improvement.

• Provide resources: Provide resources, such as funding and technology, to support the implementation of new strategies and programs. Adequate resources are essential for sustaining change and ensuring that initiatives are successful.

• Engage Stakeholders: Engage stakeholders, including students, teachers, and parents, in the implementation and sustainability of new strategies and programs. Collaboration and buy-in from all stakeholders are crucial for long-term success.

By implementing and sustaining change, schools and districts can create a positive and supportive learning environment that promotes student achievement and success. This comprehensive approach ensures that efforts to close the achievement gap are effective and enduring.

Conclusion

Closing the achievement gap feels like a big challenge, and it is. Achievement gaps show up in school and classroom-level data, and can only be addressed through an intentional, comprehensive approach. Closing achievement gaps take long-term efforts across multiple school years, but it is worth it.

As a school leader, you only have so much time to work with teachers and students. Focusing on effective strategies that work supports academic achievement for all students.

By focusing on the 10 actionable methods in this guide, education leaders can make meaningful progress toward closing achievement gaps and supporting the success of each and every student.

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