California District Discontinues Segregated Math Program

The Stockton (CA) Record (6/13, Pham, Roberts) describes a pilot program at Gear Creek High School in Stockton, California, which was "composed mainly of Black and Latino freshman boys...in response to data showing 44 percent of Algebra I students at Bear Creek High School had received a failing grade." Principal Daryl Camp "said he hoped the experimental program would narrow the achievement gap that sees Black and Latino students earning lower standardized test scores than their white and Asian peers." However, "after first-quarter grades were not measurably better than those of students in traditional algebra classes - and after a conflict with the math department - the course was disbanded."