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The Academic Achievement Gap in Grades 3 to 8

Author

Listed:
  • Charles T. Clotfelter

    (Duke University)

  • Helen F. Ladd

    (Duke University)

  • Jacob L. Vigdor

    (Duke University)

Abstract

Using data for North Carolina public school students in grades 3 to 8, we examine achievement gaps between white students and students from other racial and ethnic groups. We focus on cohorts of students who stay in the state's public schools for all six years. While the black-white gaps are sizable and robust, both Hispanic and Asian students tend to gain on whites as they progress in school. Beyond simple mean differences, we find that the racial gaps in math between low-performing students have tended to shrink as students progress through school, while those for high-performing students have generally widened. Copyright by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Charles T. Clotfelter & Helen F. Ladd & Jacob L. Vigdor, 2009. "The Academic Achievement Gap in Grades 3 to 8," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(2), pages 398-419, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:91:y:2009:i:2:p:398-419
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alan B. Krueger & Jesse Rothstein & Sarah Turner, 2004. "Race, Income and College in 25 Years: The Continuing Legacy of Segregation and Discrimination," Working Papers 9, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Education Research Section..
    2. Alan B. Krueger & Jesse Rothstein & Sarah Turner, 2004. "Race, Income and College in 25 Years: The Continuing Legacy of Segregation and Discrimination," Working Papers 9, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Education Research Section..
    3. Deborah Wilson & Simon Burgess & Adam Briggs, 2011. "The dynamics of school attainment of England’s ethnic minorities," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 24(2), pages 681-700, April.
    4. Charles T. Clotfelter & Helen F. Ladd & Jacob L. Vigdor, 2006. "Teacher-Student Matching and the Assessment of Teacher Effectiveness," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 41(4).
    5. Roland G. Fryer & Steven D. Levitt, 2006. "The Black-White Test Score Gap Through Third Grade," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 8(2), pages 249-281.
    6. Roland G. Fryer & Steven D. Levitt, 2004. "Understanding the Black-White Test Score Gap in the First Two Years of School," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(2), pages 447-464, May.
    7. repec:pri:cepsud:108krueger is not listed on IDEAS
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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