The Oakridge mission focuses on closing the equity gap. Closing the equity gap means all subgroups are approaching the same line, the all students line. The APS Strategic Plan defines Equity: Eliminate opportunity gaps and achieve excellence by providing access to schools, resources, and learning opportunities according to each student’s unique needs.
APS states every student counts and promotes a tiered instructional method to provide high quality instruction to meet the needs of all students. Comparing the SOL Pass Rates by demographic subgroups within the school shows the opportunity gap at Oakridge has been widening for many years and the overall passing rates are declining. Is Oakridge achieving the goal of equity? Is Oakridge ensuring every student counts?
We believe high academic expectations, academic rigor consistently implemented in all grades, parent partnerships and a school wide behavioral intervention program with parent partnership will help narrow the gap. Other Arlington elementary schools have implemented solutions and have seen academic growth and narrowing gaps. Can APS apply successes from other APS schools at Oakridge to close the equity gap and maintain a high academic standard for all?
Below we compare the SOL passing rates between student subgroups at Oakridge and Arlington Traditional School (ATS) in Math, English Reading, and Science. Oakridge and ATS are both diverse schools with ~30% English Learners and ~30% free and reduced lunch eligible population. One school consistently maintains SOL passing rates above 90% and the other is consistently below Arlington SOL passing rate averages. ATS is known for holding its students to high standards and instilling a strong sense of self-accountability. Both the NAACP and the Kirwain Institute identify high expectations, emphasis on good examples of behavior, diverse stories and examples, and partnerships with families as early education strategies to close the equity gaps. Are there elements of the ATS model that can be implemeted at Oakridge?
Oakridge
Demographics from APS Dashboard (2021-22)
ATS
Demographics from APS Dashboard (2021-22)
2021-2022 Oakridge Range of Passing Rates in Math by subgroup; Low 38% English Learners; High 77% Asian; All Students Average is 64%
2021-2022 ATS Range of Passing Rates in Math by subgroup; Low 77% Students with Disabilities; High 98% Male; All Students Average is 95%
2021-2022 Oakridge Range of Passing Rates in English Reading by subgroup; Low 40% Students with Disabilities; High 91% Asian; All Students Average is 74%
2021-2022 ATS Range of Passing Rates in English Reading by subgroup; Low 77% Students with Disabilities; High 99% Asian; All Students Average is 96%
2021-2022 Oakridge Range of Passing Rates in Science by subgroup; Low 5% English Learners; High 51% White; All Students Average is 40%
2021-2022 ATS Range of Passing Rates in Science by subgroup; Low 40% Students with Disabilities; High 95% Asian; All Students Average is 85%
Free Lunch Eligibility By School Trend
| School | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023 | Changes over time (+ or -) |
| Abingdon Elementary* | 46% | 47% | 47% | 43% | 45% | 45% | 45% | 41% | 2% |
| Alice Fleet | 30% | 30% | 30% | 32% | 1% | ||||
| Arlington Traditional | 17% | 21% | 26% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 35% | 5% |
| Arlington Science Focus | 12% | 15% | 1% | ||||||
| Ashlawn Elementary^ | 17% | 21% | 19% | 17% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 17% | 2% |
| Barcroft Elementary* | 61% | 59% | 60% | 68% | 62% | 62% | 62% | 75% | 5% |
| Barrett Elementary* | 56% | 56% | 62% | 55% | 61% | 61% | 61% | 75% | 6% |
| Campbell Elementary* | 53% | 56% | 54% | 50% | 50% | 50% | 50% | 46% | 3% |
| Cardinal Elementary^ | 5% | 8% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 1% |
| Carlin Springs Elementary* | 82% | 79% | 83% | 81% | 81% | 81% | 81% | 75% | 2% |
| Claremont Immersion | 37% | 38% | 37% | 34% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 28% | 4% |
| Discovery Elementary^ | 3% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1% |
| Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary* | 54% | 53% | 52% | 48% | 61% | 61% | 61% | 75% | 8% |
| Escuela Key Elementary | 43% | 44% | 41% | 41% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 33% | 3% |
| Glebe Elementary^ | 15% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 15% | 18% | 18% | 13% | 2% |
| Hoffman-Boston Elementary* | 53% | 55% | 49% | 51% | 46% | 46% | 46% | 46% | 3% |
| Innovation Elementary^ | 20% | 20% | 23% | 23% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 36% | 5% |
| Jamestown Elementary^ | 2% | 2% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 5% | 1% |
| Long Branch Elementary | 32% | 35% | 35% | 32% | 33% | 33% | 33% | 32% | 1% |
| Montessori Public School of Arlington | 28% | 28% | 28% | 28% | 0% | ||||
| Nottingham Elementary^ | 3% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 1% |
| Oakridge Elementary | 25% | 26% | 25% | 21% | 23% | 23% | 23% | 32% | 3% |
| Randolph Elementary* | 73% | 73% | 73% | 75% | 1% | ||||
| Taylor Elementary^ | 5% | 5% | 5% | 8% | 1% | ||||
| Tuckahoe Elementary^ | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 1% |