What does he mean by "despite our diverse student population"? Diversity is what makes us strong. (Austin: home)

[sanmiguel]

Austin School District Releases Preliminary Results for Grades 5 and 8 on Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills Math Exam

April 30, 2008 - The Austin School District today released the preliminary local results of the first administration in 2008 of the required Math portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills (TAKS) tests for all fifth and eighth grade students. The tests were administered statewide on April 8.
Austin School Superintendent Pat Forgione noted that Austin students continued to mirror the gains that students, statewide, have made on the required TAKS tests.

“Austin students’ score are very close to the statewide scores, despite our diverse student population,” Superintendent Pat Forgione said. “AISD teachers and students have worked very hard this year, and the results show it, especially looking at growth since 2003, the first year of TAKS. Is there more work to be done? You bet. But we’re on the right track.”

[texastea]

Of course diversity is good, but the test punishes diverse school districts. Because school districts are rated based on EACH ethnic group and the economically disadvantaged group passing the test. Some ethinic groups have trouble passing the test.

[sanmiguel]

For him to have said that Austin has a high percentage of students whose first language is not English would be one thing. To say that other groups such as whites, blacks, asians, gays etc. contribute to lower scores because of their differences is, in my opinion, disingenuous. Lay the blame on an educational system which does not pay well and, thus, cannot attract the best and the brightest to educate today's youth. Unfortunately, as Rev Wright has recently articulated "the chickens are coming home to roost". The poor quality of America's public school system is resulting in its falling further and further behind other countries. How is it that European countries are able to educate their diverse populations better than is the USA?

[Trainwreck20]

Who said the diversity referred to ethnic diversity? I suspect it more appropriately refers to economic diversity.

[AGA]

Perhaps the point was to be ambiguous with the diversity label!?