The NEA Foundation created the Closing the Achievement Gaps Initiative to accelerate the achievement rate for under-achieving low income and minority student groups, thereby closing the gap between these students and their higher achieving, more affluent peers. The Foundation's researched-based strategy shows that developing and strengthening partnerships among local education associations, school districts, and community organizations, is a powerful force for improving student performance and a vehicle for systemic reform.

The NEA Foundation's work in closing achievement gaps highlights the importance of engaging not only the teachers who provide instruction, but the principals who lead buildings, the superintendent who runs the district, the families who send their children to school and the teacher association leaders who negotiate the working contract for public school employees. Together, these groups are shaping learning environments and opportunities for all students to achieve at higher levels.

The Foundation piloted the Initiative by investing $6 million in three districts with a high number of under-achieving low income and minority students in Hamilton County (Chattanooga), Tenn; Milwaukee, Wis; and Seattle, Wash. to close the achievement gaps.  With early results from local evaluative efforts showing significant and positive changes in teaching and learning, the Foundation expanded the initiative by awarding grants to three new sites in February 2010: Columbus, Ohio; Springfield, Mass.; and Durham, N.C.

Read more about our current initiatives 

NEA Foundation Celebrates Efforts in Hamilton County to Improve Student Achievement

In March, the NEA Foundation celebrated Hamilton County’s efforts to boost achievement for middle school students as the national model for its Closing the Achievement Gaps Initiative.  The effort began in 2004, when the Foundation awarded a $2.5 million, five-year grant to a partnership of the Hamilton County Education Association, Hamilton County schools, and the Public Education Foundation. The efforts have led to improvement in student test scores and classroom instruction. 

Read More about the Hamilton County Initiative

Theory of Change

Our theory of change and corresponding local interventions are based on recent research on effective schools, district redesign, external agent engagement, association capacity, curriculum and instruction, among other related areas. In brief, our work involves:

• District and Local Association Capacity and Collaboration designed to generate a shared understanding of challenges, with frequent and ongoing communication, and an agreed-upon set of strategies to address the challenges.
• District and School Capacity and Coherence designed to increase capacity at the district or system level to ensure school-level success. Districts need to have coherence (as defined by a singular focus on teaching and learning) and alignment of curriculum, assessments, and resources to achieve systemic reform.
• Family and Community Partnerships designed to generate support from businesses, nonprofits, foundations, the district, civic authorities, and parents to achieve powerful results.

Knowledge & Resources

See more selected seminal and recent research on the "why" of the achievement gaps as well as strategies to close them.