Alexandria Searls
(434)295-4302

1. Learn How to Discuss the Problem.
· How do we talk about the achievement gap? The achievement gap brings up painful issues of race relations and of poverty. We must learn how to discuss the problem before we can begin to solve it. How have we tried to talk to the children themselves about the achievement gap? What can we learn from listening to the children? How are parents, teachers, school administration and the community at large discussing the problem, and what is the impact of their attitudes on students?

2. Increase Parental Involvement
· Schools should provide detailed orientation to parents, including workshops on what kind of support children need at home to learn and how parent/teacher meetings contribute to a child's education
· Charlottesville should fully support Adult Education and English as a Second Language so that parents can develop reading and writing skills to teach to their children
· Adult literacy programs and parent/child programs such as Read-ins should be funded
· PTOs should increase outreach to parents of low socio-economic status
· Charlottesville should publicize the need for parents to earn a living wage in order to be able to provide an adequate living and learning environment for children
· Communication between the schools and parents should be two-way, with parents given ample opportunities for input

3. Increase Communication with Children
· Identify the peer cultures of the various age groups. Are the peer groups friendly or unfriendly to achievement?
· Find ways to promote achievement within the peer group through awards, afterschool activities and clubs that emphasize learning
· If peer groups are unfriendly to achievement, initiate discussion about how peer groups can limit achievement. Discuss the issue with the children individually and within groups. Invite mentors to the school to discuss the issue.
· Take the fear out of testing by discussing the SOLs with parents and with children. Reinforce learning as an adventure rather than as an activity with a punishment at the end (i.e., a test).
· Provide some freedom to each child to branch out into subjects of his or her choice.
· Communicate belief in the child's talents and ability to learn

4. Adopt a Proven Strategy in Curriculum
· Recognize with Funding the Importance of Pre-K Education
· Provide Pre-K education that addresses the needs of at-risk children
· Assess all Programs, especially those for at-risk children
· Address the Needs for Physical Education
· Provide a Culture of Inspiration rather than of Bureaucracy
· Help children use their learning to communicate

5. Increase Communication with Teachers and Provide Full Support to Teachers
· Continue to Give Competitive Pay
· Recognize Excellence in Teaching
· Give Teachers Opportunities to Attend Workshops and Seminars that Address the Achievement Gap

6. Make Closing the Achievement Gap a Priority When Hiring the Superintendent and When Appointing School Board members by asking candidates how they would close the gap and how they would address the issues surrounding that gap.

7. Increase Community Involvement in Finding Solutions
· Form community groups and develop mentors and tutors within the community
· Form a safety net in the community so that students considering dropping out of high school have a relationship with an adult who can encourage them to remain in school