The academic achievement gap is the minority compared to white students. The gap doesn't start when a child starts school, it starts before a child starts school. The Department of Education and the government have tried to close the gap, but the gap is still there. There have been some improvements in test scores but, as Ravitch mentioned, it is difficult to close the achievement gap if all groups are improving (363). The minority would have to improve significantly for the gap to close. To make improvements, changes should happen at home, in classrooms, and within the Board of Education. It may take a few years to close the gap and bring all groups on the same level, but it is possible. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Ravitch states that privatization of schools often leads to greater segregation (362). In paragraph 12 he further argues that such gaps exist wherever there is inequality. Students from more advantaged families earn higher test scores than students from less advantaged families. White children are most likely to come from the most advantaged families and can afford to attend private schools, while minority children are most likely to come from the least advantaged families and attend public schools (363). Jonathan Kozol would agree with Ravitch because he believed that schools were returning to segregation and that white schools had a better education. Changes need to happen in the homes of minority students. Parents should start teaching their children how to read, write and use vocabulary before they start school. Parents should also be good role models and set high standards. A child can achieve in a public school because I achieved in public schools. Minority children just need support at home and need someone to look up to, which means parents should guide their children in the right direction and be a good leader. Parents of minority children should have set goals and be prepared to raise a child before having a child. Ravitch argues that African Americans have experienced higher levels of poverty and lower levels of education than white Americans (364). African Americans should seek to rise out of poverty, build their community, and provide a better life for the next generation. The changes needed to close the achievement gap begin within the minority home. Public and private schools are different in many ways. Attendance at public schools is free, while attendance at private schools requires a fee. As Kozol mentioned in his article, schools are still separate and unequal. Teachers earned $43,000 per year in the urban community, while in the white community teachers earned $74,000-$77,000 per year. The spending level was $11,700 per pupil in an urban community, but the spending leverage was $722,000 per pupil in a white community. White students have a better education than minority students because they have the resources. Also, in my experience, there tend to be more distractions in public schools because kids aren't being taught the right way. Most minorities living in poverty live in difficult communities and act on what they see. This makes it harder for teachers to teach and to.