Disaggregating by Subgroups - Why Should We?

As an educator, I have had the opportunity to work with both diverse populations and a diversity of school populations.

From student-teaching in a minority-majority school to teaching in a school with very little racial diversity, I have had the opportunity to work with students from all backgrounds. I have experienced success in schools with less than 5% of students on free/reduced lunch and experienced success in schools with greater than 75% of students on free/reduced lunch.

Having worked with a diversity of school populations and with diverse populations, I know that there is a universal truth: all students are capable of experiencing success, of achieving their dreams, and of graduating having reached their maximum potential.

Closing achievement gaps and improving achievement for all typically comes down to “real” and “honest” questions about the beliefs teachers have about children. If they believe that a subgroup cannot be successful, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and they are not successful. If school staff earnestly believes that all children can be successful and works hard to give them every opportunity for success, the children will succeed.

The importance of disaggregating data by subgroup cannot be overstated. Only by looking at our data at the subgroup level can we ensure that we are serving all children to the best of our ability regardless of the child's demographic description.

There is no silver-bullet. It takes hard work and a deep belief in the children to see persistent gaps begin to close. I do believe that every child can be successful and have been pleased to see when achievement gaps narrow considerably or even disappear.

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