Web-Based Interactive System for Analyzing Achievement Gaps in Public Schools System

The National Office for Research on Measurement and Evaluation Systems (NORMES) at the University of Arkansas developed a web-based interactive system to provide information on state, district, and school level achievement gaps between white students and black students, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and non-disadvantaged students, male students and female students, and mobile students and non-mobile students. The website of this system is http://normessasweb.uark.edu/alert/. Using Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) to generate interactive box plots and dynamic interpretation of effect sizes, this system provides K-12 educators with the information of the achievement gaps between the given groups. Dissemination of this system will help educators develop effective strategies for closing the achievement gaps. The information can be used by policy makers to create more accurate and effective policy decisions. (Contains 3 figures.)