Is your school considered an “easy A?” Academic rigor is one of the reasons parents choose private schools. However, not all private school curriculum is equally challenging. And grades are often awarded for non-academic things (like teacher aid, and bringing in canned goods).
The rigor gap should be concerning to students and parents because it illustrates that many are investing two of life’s scarcest resources, time and money, into college or career decisions based on incomplete or misleading information about their chance of success.
Fixing the rigor gap is not an easy proposition, but research from North Carolina and Florida tells us it will lead to students learning more — regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or previous academic performance. Accomplishing this will require a collaborative effort among school leaders, teachers, parents, and students.