Following recent reports to the Legislature that minority students continue to lag behind in school and 2009 WASL results confirming the gap isn’t shrinking quickly enough, a new Achievement Gap and Oversight Committee will take on the challenge of improving academic achievement for every child in our state.

State Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, is one of the three state representatives appointed by House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, to serve on the committee. Quall, who chairs the House Education Committee and is a former high school counselor, has spent years promoting alternative options that ensure more students find a pathway to success in school.

“Quality education is not something we can sell as a one-size-fits-all model,” Quall said in a press release. “If we’re serious about helping every student succeed, we must take into account the unique cultural and community influences that affect how students learn. I’m very excited to work with the communities of color in our state to ensure our education system is serving all students. If we’re successful, the children about to enter kindergarten next fall will never have to hear the words ‘achievement gap’ and wonder if it applies to them.”

The achievement gap committee was created this past legislative session with passage of Senate Bill 5973. The committee will compile the recommendations outlined in achievement gap reports completed by groups representing African-American, Asian-American, Native American, Latino and Pacific Islander students. The implementation plan will provide the foundation for statewide efforts to shrink the achievement gap and boost student achievement. The committee will also provide an annual report of the progress being made to reduce the achievement gap.