State learning gap persists: Chasm between black, white students is near worst in U.S.

Byline: Alan J. Borsuk

Dec. 14--The education achievement gaps between African-American and white children in Wisconsin remain among the worst in the United States, according to an analysis released Wednesday by an influential education group.

To a degree that's good news. That's better than in 2004, when a similar analysis by the Journal Sentinel showed the proficiency gaps in several key measures between African-American and white children were larger in Wisconsin than in any other state.

Using more recent results of the same series of tests -- the National Assessment of Educational Progress -- the Education Trust found that in fourth-grade reading and …