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Closing the Achievement Gap: Achieving Success for All Students
Welcome to the Closing the Achievement Gap Web Site
This Web site is part of the statewide initiative to close the achievement gap. Aimed at supporting the work of policymakers, educators, and interested community members, it is the electronic hub for helpful information, research, and success stories about efforts to close the gap in California. The California Department of Education, its P-16 Council, and WestEd are partnering on this initiative with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
The content on this site will continue to grow, and we encourage you to check back often to see what's new. We will be posting new research, success stories, and events on a regular basis.
Learn more about the initiative
Achievement Gap Summit 2007 Presentations
Download the P-16 Report (PDF)
P-16 Council Papers and Policy Briefs
State Superintendent Jack O'Connell"s 2010 State of Education address.
News & Events
Spotlight
Workbook for Improving School Climate & Closing the Achievement Gap
In his 2008 State of Education address, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O’Connell, announced that Closing The Achievement Gap (CTAG) was the California Department of Education’s top priority and directed that questions related to racial and cultural issues be added to the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) and its companion California School Climate Survey (CSCS). O'Connell also championed an expansion of the reporting system and materials to support the CTAG Initiative.See the CHKS CTAG page to download a copy of the new Workbook.
In The News
- Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools
Federal and state laws and guidance require states to identify persistently lowest achieving schools. The lowest 5 percent of these schools must implement a school intervention model in 2010-11. See California's definition of Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools as well as lists of Tier I and II schools.
Online Activities
- March 10 - Raising Their Voices: Enlisting Students, Teachers, and Parents to Help End the High School Dropout Epidemic
- March 24 - Differentiated Tools and Strategies to Support RTI in Language Arts/Social Studies
- May 20 - How State Education Agencies in the Northeast and Islands Support Data-Driven Decisionmaking in Schools and Districts
In Person Events
Issues: What contributes to the achievement gap?
- Issues Overview Get familiar with the issues
- Research Library Browse a collection of research
What has worked for schools & districts?
- Martha Baldwin School—La Puente
- Central Union High School—El Centro
- Giano Intermediate School—West Covina
How can I get involved?
- WebDialogues Engage in online discussions with policymakers, subject experts, students and the public
- Calendar of Events Attend events in your area
- Stay Informed Sign up for email bulletins