The Persistent Achievement Gap in Secondary School Students

Abstract

The persistent achievement gap in secondary school students, characterized by disparities in academic performance across racial, socioeconomic, and special educational needs lines, poses a significant challenge to contemporary education systems. This gap diminishes the effectiveness of secondary education by depriving students of equal educational experiences and opportunities. Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) emerges as a promising approach to narrow this gap by leveraging students' cultural backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives as valuable educational resources. This paper delves into the theoretical underpinnings of CRT, its assumptions, constructs, causal relationships, and distinctions from traditional educational theories. Additionally, it evaluates a study on CRT's effectiveness, highlighting its strengths in promoting inclusivity, cultural awareness, and student-centred learning while addressing challenges such as resource constraints, response bias, and the need for longitudinal research designs. Suggestions for alternative research designs to overcome these limitations are also provided.