What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black and white sixth-grade students are equally likely to meet state standards in Math. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

White sixth-graders are nearly three times as likely as black sixth-graders to score proficient or advanced on state math tests. In the City of St. Louis, white sixth-graders are over 2.5 times as likely to pass state math tests (42.3%) as black sixth-graders (15.5%). In St. Charles County, white students are over two times as likely as black students to be proficient in math by the sixth grade (59.9% compared to 29.4%), and in St. Louis County, the disparity is over three times as likely (60.1% to 19.5%).

If proficiency rates were equitable, the number of black sixth-graders meeting state standards in math would have increased by:

• 483 in the City of St. Louis, 
• 105 in St. Charles County, and
• 1,599 in St. Louis County.

Why Does Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency Matter?

WHICH CALLS TO ACTION FROM THE FERGUSON COMMISSION’s REPORT ARE LINKED WITH THIS INDICATOR?

While there are no direct calls to action from the Ferguson Commission related to raising test scores, the commission calls for:

• Providing Rigorous Primary and Secondary Education

Questions for Further Investigation:

• Why is there a racial disparity in Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency?
• What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency?
• What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency?

Sixth-Grade Math Proficiency Data