Expanding Horizons in Education to Close the Academic Gap

In a perfect world, all students coming from different backgrounds will be successful no matter what challenges they may encounter. However, reality is far from perfection. Educational leaders face multiple challenges in regards to closing academic gaps. These challenges include different factors such as lack of parental support, low economic status, language barriers, disabilities, culture, etc. Various tools and strategies can be incorporated to support and achieve academic success.

I decided to conduct my research on this topic due to the great impact the current COVID-19 pandemic had in education. Last year, our students were challenged to switch from traditional face-to-face instruction and adapt to remote learning. As we are starting a new school year, I want to make sure I understand the importance of closing the academic gap. Additionally, I need to know how to best support culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse students to support student achievement.

In research from Mannion and Mercer (2016), in order to close the academic gap, we must teach our children to understand one's learning process, identity obstacles, and the ability to learn from experiences, basically “Learning to Learn.” We must provide our children with opportunities to become individuals that feel responsible and accountable for their own learning. This includes helping them monitor their levels of performance and reflect on what changes must be made in order to achieve success.

Another strategy that best supports academic achievement is the Response to Intervention framework (RTI). This approach includes a three-tier instructional program that focuses on providing direct guidance, finding the right interventions for each student, and monitoring levels of performance (Ruffini, Lindsay, Miskell, Proger, 2016).

According to Olszewki-Kubilius and Clarenbach (2014), “[leaders in different fields] have raised the alarm about the need for a new generation of thinkers, innovators, linguists, and creative problem solvers to meet the demands of the 21st century global economy and our national security needs.” As educators, we must provide more opportunities for authentic learning that incorporates higher order thinking activities that can increase the connections to real world experiences across culturally and linguistically diverse students. We must advocate to provide successful programs and services that promote leadership for all students in every population or society status.

References

Mannion, J., & Mercer, N. (2016). Learning to Learn: Improving Attainment, Closing the Gap at

Key Stage 3: Curriculum Journal, 27(2), 246-271.

Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Clarenbach, J. (2014). Closing the Opportunity Gap: Program Factors

Contributing to Academic Success in Culturally Different Youth. Gifted Child Today, 37(2),

103–110.

Ruffini, S. J., Lindsay, J., Miskell, R., Proger, A., Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest

(ED), National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (ED), American

Institutes for Research (AIR), & Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest, E. U. R. A. (2016).

Measuring the Implementation Fidelity of the Response to Intervention Framework in

Milwaukee Public Schools. Stated Briefly. REL 2017-192. In Regional Educational Laboratory

Midwest. Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest.