The Office of Student Achievement mission is to support and improve access, equity and academic success for students from diverse learning communities through collaboration with the district, parents, and the community.
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The Office of Student Achievement (OSA) works collaboratively with other Instructional Services Offices, Department of Accountability, Special Services, Department of Professional Learning and Training, and the Cluster Offices to provide support and services to schools through site based professional development and the dissemination of research based best practices and models of success related to "Closing the Achievement Gaps."
What is the "Achievement Gap"?
Why is there an "Achievement Gap"?
What does a Gap look like?
"Closing the Gap" as defined by law?
How are gaps identified?
Why is closing the achievement gap essential?
What will it take to reduce or eliminate gaps?
Who are the stakeholders in "Closing the Gap"?
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Contact Us
Alan Leis Instructional Center
7423 Camp Alger Avenue
Falls Church, Virginia 22042
703 - 208 - 7737 (main)
703 208 - 7721 (fax)
Lavinia Dickerson, Coordinator
Roger S. Baskin, Educational Specialist
Jennifer L. Platt, Educational Specialist
Gilma Molina, Administrative Assistant
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| An Achievement Gap exists in many of our schools. It has become more evident since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation was enacted. There are many questions surrounding closing the gap. This page was developed to answer those basic questions.
What is the Achievement Gap?
The disparity in academic achievement between various NCLB student sub-groups.
Why is there an Achievement Gap?
The cause of the Achievement Gap has provided, for decades, a source of great speculation and discussion among researchers and scholars. While there are many factors that contribute to the creation of achievement gaps, factors which are consistently revealed include the following; access to resources, parent involvement, and poor quality of instruction.
What Does a Gap Look Like?
The chart above gives one example of an academic achievement gap between groups. In both reading and math, the percentage of students passing is much higher in group B than it is for students in group A.
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Closing the Gap as defined by law?
The recent laws enacted in United States have impacted the way schools will work to educate ALL students. The No Child Left Behind Act 2001 (NCLB) redefines the federal role in K-12 education and will help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers.
How gaps are identified?
Careful data collection and analysis of Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments and student enrollment in advanced academic courses is consistently collected and reviewed.
Why is closing the Achievement Gap essential?
Education is the great equalizer.
“We can whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need in order to do this. Whatever we do, it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far.”
Ron Edmunds
A Blueprint for Action III
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Office of Student Achievement 
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Instructional Services Department
