The boys are encouraged to wear ties and the girls dresses. Gov. Bill Owens, author of the recently enacted school-reform law, and Colorado Education Commissioner William Moloney. Moloney, Owens and others argue that taking poverty and other factors into consideration only allows low-scoring districts to duck accountability. It's not that poverty doesn't matter, Moloney said. You can acknowledge it.
Poverty brings with it all kinds of behaviors that have to be dealt with.
It's not saying there is no problem. These are discussions about what the solution ought to be. Hardships such as poverty don't absolutely doom a district to poor CSAP scores. But overcoming them requires special attention. The recipe varies, but schools that overcome adversity tend to bore down on the basics, haul parents into the school to volunteer, test relentlessly and follow each child's progress closely.