Closing the Gap

Money isn't everything—but it sure can help.

The problem? Milwaukee's poor and minority students still lag behind their peers, particularly in math and science, and especially at the higher grades. The solution? More professional development for educators and an assortment of new "closing the gap action plans," paid for, in part, by a five-year $2.5 million grant awarded recently by The NEA Foundation. The Foundation has set a goal for a community partnership—led by the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association (MTEA)—to work together to close the achievement gaps by 2010.

"The projects in the grant are all designed by educators and we think that's the way to do it. It is not a top-down approach, but something from the members at a local level," said Dennis Oulahan, president of MTEA. "We see some real possibilities for improvement now."

Demonstrating its commitment to student achievement, The Foundation provided a similar grant to Chattanooga in 2004. For more information about The NEA Foundation and its grants program, go to www.neafoundation.org.

—Ritu Sharma