Gaps in standardized achievement measures between students from different racial and ethnic groups and between students from poor and non-poor families. Research shows a significant gap between the performances of African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and low-income students and their white, Asian, and economically advantaged peers.
Raising Achievement Closing Gaps is North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) site detailing the state's initiative to assist schools and systems in identifying and developing programs to help close the achievement gap. According to NCDPI,
Closing the academic achievement gap that exists between white and minority (African American, Hispanic and Native American) students is a top priority for the North Carolina State Board of Education. North Carolina is working to close the gap by requiring local schools systems to develop annual plans for closing gaps, increasing funding, developing resource centers and pilot programs, encouraging community/school collaboration, and implementing other initiatives to ensure that the achievement gap closes.
For further explanation:
The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) explores issues related to the achievement gap in detail, including bibliographies and perspectives of key stakeholders in achievement gap issues.