If I were president I would strive to help those affected by the education gap.

The
education gap refers to the educational measures between the performance of groups of students.
Especially those defined by socioeconomic status. Students coming from low-income families
are less likely to graduate high school and pursue secondary schooling. How can our country
pride itself on the quality of education a person can receive here, yet not all schools are funded
adequately? To help our students, we must first help those they depend on.

Among other success measures, the achievement gap shows up in grades, standardizedtest scores, course selection, dropout rates, and college-completion rates. The achievement gap is
most often used to describe the troubling performance gaps between the minority students at the
lower end of the performance scale, and their white peers; also the similar academic discrepancy
between students from low-income families and those who are better off. This gap has been
around for many decades although, it has seemed that the recession may have widened it. This is
due to the income inequality among parents and social mobility of their children. The domino
effect of this situation directly impacts the widening of this gap due to the stereotyping of lower
income families.

So what exactly are the causes of this gap? The education gap is no easy matter to talk
about. It is not a straight and narrow problem with an easily achievable solution. There are many
factors that have caused this education gap. The biggest factors are the students background and
education funding shortfalls. Achievement at this very critical point in a students life must be
improved to ensure success after high school. Many factors inside and outside the classroom
contribute to student performance, and it is incumbent upon everyone in the education
community to find ways to foster academic improvement in the years to come. (Driscoll). Based

on Driscolls quote, the many factors in a students life that affect their educational status can be
directly traced from their educational success to their background.

A solution to this problem would be to expand on the No Child Left Behind and
Achievement First programs. The No Child Left Behind program was enacted in 2001. Its
intended goal is to improve educational equity for students from lower income families by
providing federal funds to school districts serving poor students. School districts serving lower
income students often receive less state and local funding than those serving more affluent
children (New America Foundation). As for the Achievement First, their mission is to deliver on
the promise of equal educational opportunity for all of America's children. To expand these two
programs, would mean giving most of the children in the Unites States a proper education; an
education that all children deserve.

The first step to disintegrating this education gap is to bring the idea to Congress and help
them visualize the impact of narrowing the gap for children. Once turned into a bill by Congress,
and then passed, America would see a new future for their children.