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Panel discussion to explore educational achievement gap

Marilyn Strutchens

Cynthia Reed

Two College of Education faculty and one of its graduates will share their insights on the educational achievement gap during a panel discussion aimed at building community awareness.

The discussion, sponsored by the Student Government Association in partnership with the College of Education and Division of Student Affairs, will be held Wed., Feb. 1, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. The education gap refers to the performance disparity of student groups defined by gender, race and socioeconomic status in such areas as standardized test scores, dropout rates and grade point averages.

The event is open to students, faculty, staff and community members.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the achievement gap between minority and majority students ranges from 20 to 30 points in all subject matter areas and across all K-12 grade levels.

College of Education faculty members participating on the panel include Cynthia Reed, director of the Truman Pierce Institute and Emily R. and Gerald S. Leischuck endowed professor for educational leadership, and Marilyn Strutchens, co-director of Transforming East Alabama Mathematics (TEAM-Math) and Mildred Cheshire Fraley distinguished professor. Reed is the president-elect of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), while Strutchens serves as president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE).

The panel also includes Alabama State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice, a 1977 graduate of the college, and two Auburn University alums – Lauren Hayes, advocacy director for Tennessee Charter Schools, and Alisha Walker, a Teach for America core member.

The panelists will seek to build community awareness about the educational, social and economic implications of the achievement gap in Alabama.

“Education is a civil right,” Reed said. “It serves as a gateway to the opportunities one will have throughout their lifetime. Yet, there are huge inequities in the types of opportunities available to students and citizens in our state and in our country. As educators, and as citizens in general, we need to advocate for adequate and equitable educational funding, high quality pre-K programs, and high quality teachers and leaders in all schools because these are the types of resources that will help to reduce the achievement gaps that currently exist.”

For more information, call 334.844.8880.

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2012