Welcome to the Governor’s Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative

The Governor's Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative (CTAG) is a centerpiece in Governor Ted Strickland's P-16 educational reform efforts in the state of Ohio.  The Initiative is designed to improve the proficiencies, promotion, and graduation rates of inner city youth, rural youth, limited English proficiency youth, migrant youth, youth of poverty and other high need-high risk students and to impact those students' personal and professional viability.  The Initiative has been active in Ohio since 2007 and has yielded an evidence based model successful in increasing the promotion rate of high risk male students (African American, Latino and European American) from the 9th grade to the 10th grade over 2007-2008 & 2008-2009 school years.  Educator cultural competency professional development training (CCPDT) has been a core component of the CTAG Initiative strategic approach to high need-high risk student capacity to recover educationally. The Governor's Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative is an evidence-based model, currently in practice, functioning and proving to be highly effective in closing the achievement gap for students in Ohio. 

The CTAG Initiative was designed to engage students who are considered to be "high need-high risk" of dropping out of high school.  CTAG eligible student records show extensive absences, suspensions, and failing grades in major subjects--before entering ninth grade.  The methods in use under the CTAG Initiative have been effective as students develop a desire to stay in school, graduate, and pursue a life goal. It was clear to the Governor that without intensive intervention, monitoring, coaching, motivation, and belief in our students' ability to achieve, that these vulnerable students would drop out of school.