The Achievement Gap: How Demographics, Not Teaching, Drive 'Elite' School Scores
Part 3: Low-income students in wealthy districts perform at state poverty averages. This proves prestige districts select better students, not teach better.
In Weston ($2.16M homes, $25K/pupil spending), 63% of low-income students fail to meet standards. In wealthy Cambridge, the Black-white achievement gap is 43 percentage points. MIT research confirms: 84% of score variation is demographics, not instruction.
🔬The Hypothesis to Test
If "prestige" school districts like Dover-Sherborn, Weston, and Lexington have superior teaching quality, then low-income students in those districts should dramatically outperform the state average for low-income students.
Think about it: If Dover-Sherborn truly has better teachers, curriculum, and instruction, a low-income child attending those schools should benefit from that excellence and score much higher than low-income children in average districts.
The Test
The State Baseline
If wealthy districts had superior instruction, low-income students in those districts should post proficiency rates of 40%, 50%, or even 60%—well above the state poverty average.
The Reality in Wealthy Districts
Cambridge Public Schools (2023 MCAS, Grade 3 ELA)
Wealthy MA Districts Overall (2017-2019)
Weston Public Schools (2024 MCAS)
The MIT/UMass Research
MIT-Reviewed Finding
The researchers were explicit: "That is why Weston and Wayland have high MCAS scores and why Holyoke and Brockton have low MCAS scores."
What This Means:
- •✅ High scores in wealthy districts reflect wealthy students
- •✅ Low scores in poor districts reflect poor students
- •❌ Scores don't reflect teaching quality differences
- •The instruction is similar. The students are different.
Why This Matters: The 'Value-Add' Question
When you're choosing a school district for your child, the question isn't "What's the average test score?" The question is: "What will this school ADD to my child's trajectory?"
| Your Child | Prestige District | Value District | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affluent & high-achieving | Will thrive | Will thrive | Identical |
| Average student | Will do well | Will do well | Identical |
| Struggling/low-income | Will struggle | Will struggle | Identical |
The Data's Verdict
The Home Buyer's Takeaway
Achievement gaps in wealthy districts prove that high average scores reflect student demographics, not teaching excellence. When low-income students in $2M districts perform at or near state poverty averages, it confirms: the schools aren't adding value—the students are bringing it.
For Data-Driven Home Buyers:
- •❌ Don't be impressed by district-wide MCAS proficiency rates
- •✅ Look at Student Growth Percentiles (actual teaching effectiveness)
- •✅ Look at college matriculation rates (ultimate outcomes)
- •✅ Compare outcomes-per-dollar across districts
- •❌ Don't pay $1M+ for demographic selection
See the Full District Comparison
Interactive data with all 9 districts analyzed
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