Close the Achievement Gap

Even with recent progress in test scores, we rank 48th out of the 50 states in student achievement, with schools in our poorest neighborhoods struggling the hardest.  As Governor, Phil Angelides will close the achievement gap.

• Raise Student Achievement. Phil Angelides will give schools targeted grants they can use to pursue innovative strategies for raising achievement, such as incentives for teachers to teach in low-performing schools or more class time and smaller classes for students who need more help. Phil will also increase the number of quality charter schools statewide, especially in communities with high dropout rates and poor passage rates on the high school exit exam.
• Reduce the Dropout Rate. Phil Angelides will set a goal to reduce, by the end of his governorship, the number of dropouts by 25,000 a year by providing targeted grants to expand quality pre-school education for children who can’t afford it and to identify and give extra help and guidance to middle-school students who are falling behind; and by holding high schools accountable for their graduation rates.

»Download the complete PDF version of this plan here.