The Senate Education Committee yesterday approved a bill that would require local school councils to evaluate student performance by race, gender, disability and poverty status. But it voted down a related bill from the same legislator. Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, presented Senate Bill 265, which would make schools create plans to close the achievement gaps between boys and girls, white and black, and rich and poor students. Neal said that while the Kentucky Education Reform Act expects schools to focus on high achievement for all students, they aren't explicitly asked to do so. Recent reports have shown a steady and significant gap between the performance of black students and white students on state tests at all grade levels and all subjects.
Similar gaps exist between poor and rich students.
The measure passed easily. But companion legislation, Senate Bill 266, failed along party lines. It would have required all elected school boards to create a plan to hire a diverse staff. It would have also required school boards and councils to include diversity in required training. The number of minority teachers and principals has hovered around 4 percent, and Kentucky has never had a minority superintendent.