CSU, Business Community Launch Center to Close Achievement Gap

Cal State Fullerton Among Participating Campuses

July 14, 2009

From California State University Chancellor's Office

Corporate philanthropy, private foundations and the California State University commit time and funding to explore education successes in high poverty, underrepresented K-12 schools that consistently outperform benchmarks.

The CSU Center to Close the Achievement Gap launched today (July 14) at California State Los Angeles. The center is unique in its focus on the successes – not the failures – in public education. The center also will align the lessons-learned with the teacher and school administrator preparation efforts that occur at CSU colleges of education.

The partnership between business and public higher education will allow the center to respond to both the economic and civil rights aspects of the achievement gap. Having already attracted $600,000 in public and private commitments of financial support, the center will be jointly governed by the CSU and the California Business for Education Excellence Foundation. The permanent offices for the center are located at California State University, Sacramento. Participating CSU campuses include: Dominguez Hills, Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Northridge, Pomona, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco and the CalStateTEACH program.