by Nisa Islam Muhammad
Staff Writer

WASHINGTON (FinalCall.com)�The racial achievement gap in education will now be tackled by a joint project between the Department of Education and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Education Secretary Rod Paige and Dr. Dorothy Height, chair and president emeritus of the NCNW, joined forces March 19 to ignite a movement in communities across the country to increase educational performance.

Studies show that in reading, math and science, Black children lag woefully behind their White counterparts.

"Together, we will work to dramatically raise African-American children�s reading and math performance. The task before us is great, but the goal is certainly within our reach. Together, we will leave no child behind," said Secretary Paige.

"Every year lost in a child�s education could be a child lost," said Dr. Height. "The National Council of Negro Women and its affiliates who have a major concern for education are strongly committed to helping close the achievement gap. We accept the challenge of harnessing our womanpower to create a culture of academic achievement.

"The climate of high academic expectations that has long been an African-American tradition is no longer there. We can and must bring about change. With a strong sense of purpose, we will work together with parents, schools and communities to instill a thirst for education."

On the 2000 National Assessment of Education Progress reading and math assessments, 28 percent more White fourth graders scored at the proficient level in reading than Black fourth graders. In Math, 29 percent more Whites than Blacks scored at the proficient level.

On the other hand, a report released in 2000 by the Education Trust, entitled Dispelling the Myth Revisited, found that more than 4,500 schools with high-poverty and/or high minority enrollment scored in the top third of all schools in their states.

"The findings of the Education Trust affirm what Dr. Height and I believe�that poor and minority students can, and do, achieve at high levels," Mr. Paige said. "Through our new partnership, we will strive to make this goal a reality in every community in America."

Over the next three years, the partnership will expand the reach and impact of the best practices of these high-performing, high-poverty schools. Some of the practices include aligning curriculum to clear, appropriate performance standards; offering frequent feedback on children�s learning; providing incentives for teachers to be on-board with the other elements of reform; and collaborating with families and other segments of the community to hold children to high achievement standards.