Experts Probe Montclair Schools’ Achievement Gap: Report

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Issues such as the availability of affordable housing and imbalances of wealth may play a key role in the Montclair Public School District's ongoing achievement gap, a recent report says.

Several local experts and community members were quoted in a Montclair Local report published Sunday, which examined the “achievement gap” that’s persisted between white and black students in the town’s public schools.

• See related article: Black and White: Fixing The Student Achievement Gap In Montclair
• See related article: Montclair Residents Blast 'Racial Inequities' At BOE Meeting

Despite years of working to attack the gap, the district still needs to change the minds of people who don’t question an ineffective status quo, outgoing interim superintendent Nathan Parker said.

“If you accept that mindset, you don’t do what has to be done to cause lower-income students of color in Montclair to achieve at the same level as wealthy white kids,” Parker stated, noting that achievement for both groups had been flat in town for five years. >> Read the full article here.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.