As America relies more on minority workers, African-American and Latino students are lagging behind their white peers and dropping out of school at higher rates. This loss of human capital takes a toll on the entire country. The achievement gaps of today will become the competitiveness gap for America in tomorrow’s global economy.
Recommendations
For elementary and secondary education, the next President should mount a determined effort, in concert with states and local school districts, to boost the academic performance of low achievers by:
- requiring underperforming public schools that receive federal aid to improve the academic performance of chronic low achievers
- insisting that individual school improvement strategies be derived from sound evidence and best practice about what actually works
- joining with states in providing grants for schools to improve the academic performance of low achievers
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Opportunity 08 aims to help 2008 presidential candidates and the public focus on critical issues facing the nation, presenting policy ideas on a wide array of domestic and foreign policy questions. The project is committed to providing both independent policy solutions and background material on issues of concern to voters.
