Closing the ‘Perception Gap’: With 3 in 5 Teachers Saying Students Are Not at Grade Level on First Day of School, New Digital Tool Offers Parents a ‘Readiness Check’
Many parents believe that their children are ready to move on to the next grade in school. In fact, a whopping 90 percent of parents believe that their child is either at the same level as or even ahead of their peers academically.
Contrary to this belief, only 39 percent of teachers think that their students are performing at grade level when the new school year begins.
In reality, only about 1 in 3 eighth graders in the United States are reading and doing math at the expected grade level, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. This number drops even further to less than 1 in 5 for Latino students.
To address this disconnect between parental perception and teacher assessment, the nonprofit education research group Learning Heroes has recently introduced the "readiness check" interactive digital tool. The aim of this tool is to bridge the gap by providing parents and teachers with a more accurate understanding of a child’s academic achievements.
Windy Lopez-Aflitto, vice president of content at Learning Heroes, explained that their research showed parents’ desire to be involved and take responsibility for their child’s education. By using this tool, parents can gain a better understanding of their child’s academic skills and effectively support their progress throughout the school year.
The online tool, developed by experts in reading and math standards for K-8 students and their parents, offers a quick assessment of a child’s skills from the previous grade. The child is asked several questions in reading and math, and parents receive instant results indicating their child’s progress at the grade level. Additionally, the tool provides online resources and activities to help improve specific areas where the child may be struggling.
Parents can share the assessment results with their child’s teacher or email it to them, which allows the teacher to identify areas where the child may need extra support right from the start of the school year.
The readiness check is available online for free and is accessible in both English and Spanish. This tool is part of Learning Heroes’ back-to-school campaign called "Super 5: Back-to-School Power Moves," which aims to empower parents to support their children in having successful school years. The campaign is a collaboration with other organizations such as Scholastic, National PTA, the National Urban League, UnidosUS, and the National Summer Learning Association.
Learning Heroes has also conducted a nationwide survey of parents for the second consecutive year, titled "Unleashing Their Power & Potential." The survey revealed that parents prioritize their children’s happiness over their academic success, and Latino parents express more concerns about their child’s education and well-being. For instance, 85 percent of Latino parents expect their child to obtain a college degree, compared to 72 percent of all parents.
Lopez-Aflitto believes that the readiness check provides an opportunity for Latino families, who particularly prioritize their child’s future aspirations, to leverage their energy and receive concrete information about their child’s academic progress. This information is crucial in ensuring that parents can effectively advocate for their child’s education.
The readiness check can also be helpful for new Latino immigrant families who may not have access to their child’s previous school records. This tool can assist teachers in understanding the child’s educational background and determining their grade level, especially if they have been educated in a different country.
The readiness tool is Learning Heroes’ latest effort to address information and interpretation gaps in parental education knowledge. Over the past three years, the nonprofit has conducted 100 focus groups with parents across the country to understand their needs, address confusions related to complex education terms, and identify common issues and concerns.
To provide personalized resources, Learning Heroes has developed collaborative partnerships with state departments of education and school districts. Their most extensive collaborations are with the education systems in Texas and New Mexico.
In California, Learning Heroes works closely with the CORE Districts, a network of large districts that collaborates on educational challenges. These efforts aim to ensure that parents have the necessary information and support to help their children succeed in school.
Presenting the group’s recommendations for parents, The Super 5: Effective Strategies for Back-to-School:
1. Evaluate readiness: Utilize the readiness check to assess your child’s preparedness for their upcoming grade. Observe how effortlessly or challenging they handle grade-level tasks, and review the results of the previous year’s state tests. If you haven’t received the results yet, inquire about them from your child’s teacher.
2. Foster collaboration: During your initial meeting with the teacher, bring along your child’s state test results and inquire about their implications for the current year. Obtain information on the expectations for your child and how you can support them at home. Introduce your child to the teacher by sharing their interests and strengths so they can establish a deeper understanding of your child.
3. Infuse learning with excitement: You possess expert knowledge about your child and can make the learning process engaging. Engage in joint reading activities based on your child’s interests. Discover opportunities to incorporate math into everyday life and turn it into an enjoyable game. These brief moments of learning accumulate into significant progress.
4. Emphasize the value of effort: Help your child recognize that success stems from hard work. Focus on their efforts and the knowledge they are acquiring. By doing so, you can alleviate their anxiety when approaching new tasks or subjects.
5. Cultivate life skills support: Strengthen your child’s abilities in crucial areas such as communication, problem-solving, and self-confidence, which will benefit them in both school and life. Have open conversations with your child about their emotions and how they navigate challenging situations.
Don’t miss out on stories like these! Stay updated by signing up for newsletter.
