DATE: Wednesday, September 17, 1997         TAG: 9709170494

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MIKE ABRAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   48 lines

SCHOOLS WILL ASK FOR HELP UNEARTHING TESTING CLUES BEACH EDUCATORS WANT TO KNOW WHY MANY BLACK STUDENTS STRUGGLED WITH TESTS.

School officials want outside help in determining why black students scored lower on recent standardized tests than their white classmates.

The city school district will begin seeking proposals today from researchers interested in examining the long-running problem.

The goal: To have the study finished by December, which would give school officials enough time to make any necessary classroom changes.

K. Edwin Brown, assistant superintendent for the department of accountability, gave the board a report at Tuesday night's meeting on the plan to seek outside help.

This spring, high school juniors in Virginia first began taking the Stanford 9 standardized test. The scores showed what local and national studies have indicated for years - sizable racial gaps.

Some researchers say family income and education levels are factors. Others blame teaching methods.

Beach education officials already have examined student performance at the highest- and lowest-achieving schools. The results showed that black students at the top schools scored at the same level as white students in the bottom schools. The problem, officials concluded, comes not from the students, but from how they're taught.

Earlier this month, civic leaders - including representatives from the Beach chapter of the NAACP - met to discuss possible solutions. They plan to continue that work.

Last night, board member Rosemary A. Wilson asked Brown whether the outside study would be finished in time to include suggestions in the 1998-99 budget.

``This could have a major budget impact,'' she said, stressing that she wants to see tangible programs in place by the next school year.

Brown said potential researchers will have about two weeks to submit their proposals. Then, they'll have 90 days to work.

Among other things, school officials would like to see a profile of underachieving students and information about students who break the statistical mold.

``We want more data on resilient students,'' Brown said. That data, he said, could prove crucial in helping close the racial gap.

The district will advertise its request for proposals through the newspaper and by sending letters to area colleges and universities. Anyone, however, is welcome to submit a proposal. KEYWORDS: STANDARDIZED TESTING BLACKS RESULTS VIRGINIA

BEACH SCHOOLS

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu