Directing the department of education to convene an achievement gap working group

This bill directs the department of education to convene an achievement gap working group. The bill requires the working group to study any disparities in academic performance between different racial or ethnic groups of students in grades kindergarten through 12. The bill establishes that if the working group determines that such disparities exist, the emphasis of the working group shall be to study potential causes of the disparities and what specific steps can be taken to reduce the disparities. The working group shall consist of not more than members, at least of whom shall be teachers who provide instruction to students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12, and shall be bipartisan in its composition. The bill also requires minority persons to be represented in the working group. The bill prohibits the working group from meeting more than four times and allows the working group to meet either in person or by means of remote communication. The bill requires the working group to provide a report to the general assembly by December 31, 2023, detailing the working group’s findings and recommendations. The report must include recommendations on how to reduce any academic performance gap that exists between different racial or ethnic groups of students.