Oregon Public Broadcasting

The latest achievement scores for Oregon students tell different stories for two of the state’s largest minority groups.

For African American students, the achievement gap with white students appears to be growing.

On roughly two-thirds of the standardized tests black students took last year, the percentage of students passing fell compared with a year ago. 

On some tests, the difference with white students is particularly pronounced.

On seventh grade writing, less than one-third of black students passed. By contrast, 55 percent of white seventh graders passed the writing exam.

Hispanic students, however, managed to improve, or maintain, their passing rates from a year ago.

In a written statement, Superintendent Susan Castillo drew attention to the narrowing gap between white and Latino students.

She also noted the persistent gaps among African American and Native American students.  Their passing rates tended to remain about flat, or go down slightly.