Two metrics, two verdicts
The gap that hasn't moved since 2012
Texas' readiness metric says the Black-White gap is closing fast. The test-score metric says it hasn't moved in a decade.
Which gap you believe depends on which measure you trust. On the state's readiness checklist, the Black-White gap closed from 28.5 points to 11.4. On SAT/ACT college-ready scores it went from 33.6 points to 31.3, essentially frozen since 2012.
The readiness metric converged because it counts routes that don't require a test score: career certificates, dual-credit courses, enlistment. The score gap didn't budge.
Both facts are real. The honest summary is that Black students' credentials improved dramatically while the test-score distance to White peers did not.
Next finding
Is it a math problem? Two answers, both true.