All children deserve an education that prepares them to thrive and succeed. But children don鈥檛 arrive at school from a level playing field. Some children start with many advantages, while others begin with outsized challenges. Research has shown that children living in poverty or those from underserved racial and ethnic groups face greater educational challenges than those with more advantages. Schools that strive to level the playing field by giving all students what they need to succeed typically produce more effective learning environments because they promote high academic standards for all and focus on effective teaching methods.
For this reason, we have created an indicator on GreatSchools profiles to highlight schools where all students are succeeding academically. These schools excel in producing strong outcomes for students from disadvantaged as well as advantaged backgrounds.
How does a school earn this indicator? Schools with this indicator show above-average outcomes in state test scores for different student groups. There still may be gaps in test results between different student groups at these schools, but the gaps are smaller, and the academic performance of all students is higher.
What does it mean if a school does not show this indicator? There are two possible reasons. The school has below-average outcomes for different student groups in that the gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students are larger than average, and the performance of students from disadvantaged backgrounds is lower than average. Or, there may not be enough data to calculate this indicator, often due to a small population of disadvantaged students.
If your child is thriving academically, should you still care about this indicator? Yes! Any signs that show all students are learning are important for multiple reasons.
1. Effective schools help all students. Test scores alone never tell the full story about a school. Research shows that low test scores often reveal more about a student鈥檚 lack of opportunities than about how effective a school is. Schools that score high marks on serving all students are bucking that trend. It takes a highly effective school to teach kids who don鈥檛 have a lot of advantages. Research shows that the strategies that have been shown to help disadvantaged students succeed are good for all students. Such strategies include: targeted instruction that meets each student where they are and intervenes when they struggle; efforts to boost engagement; an emphasis on advanced coursework and college preparation; and creating a culture of high expectations.
Since even highly successful students sometimes encounter academic challenges, this indicates that the school takes responsibility for helping all students learn, no matter what obstacles they face.
2. Averages can hide real problems. Schools with high ratings on standardized tests or graduation rates may have student groups that are performing poorly, but that are small enough in number that their low performance doesn鈥檛 affect their school鈥檚 overall scores significantly. Without looking more closely at how different groups of students are doing compared to their peers, it鈥檚 possible to miss seeing the problems the school has.
3. Belonging and success go hand in hand. Educational equity — the idea that all students get the support they need to succeed — extends beyond classroom walls. A school where all students succeed academically is more likely to be a school where all students feel engaged and at home. In contrast, very large outcome gaps can indicate that some student groups don鈥檛 feel like they belong and are disengaged.
When schools create the conditions for all students to succeed, they foster stronger classrooms, more connected communities, and brighter futures. Understanding how schools support a wide range of learners helps families make informed decisions about whether their child is most likely to thrive.
