Big education news today, as Durham was awarded a $1.25 million from the National Education Assocation Foundation grant to close the academic achievement gap between African-American males and their peers. A partnership bringing together an education association, the school district, and community leaders will work together to use the grant over a five-year period. effort to close the achievement gap between African-American male students and their peers. 

We hope this will be money well spent on a persistent problem in our schools. Here's an excerpt of the NEA press release.

"The NEA Foundation selected Durham and two other districts from among more than 14,000 school districts nationwide to participate in the first major expansion of its signature Closing the Achievement Gaps Initiative. This six-year-old initiative supports union-district partnerships to develop and implement comprehensive, sustainable approaches to closing the achievement gaps and advancing academic achievement.

"Durham’s proposal had broad community engagement, including students, a critical and thorough review of available data, and an objective assessment of capacity. Co-created by the Durham Association of Educators (DAE) and Durham Public Schools, the project was strengthened by support from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC Central University, and local business leaders. 

"'Our focus on academic achievement of African American boys, was driven by careful analysis of district data, and is supplemented by a greater strategy to gain higher achievement for all students by increasing teacher collaboration, instructional leadership, and reflective practice,'” said Kristy Moore, President of the Durham Association of Educators. “'Our strategy includes the development of professional learning communities across two feeder patterns (elementary, middle and high schools) and within schools and is supplemented through systematic involvement of higher education and national organizations.'”