The American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA) is concerned about the quality of life as it affects the development and education of our children. AFSA believes that policies and programs must be designed to promote and improve urban development, economic growth, zoning, land use, mass transit, rent subsidy and other issues affecting urban community development. AFSA also feels that professional organizations, businesses, and the government should form partnerships to help improve our urban areas. AFSA’s goal is to assist public school systems in educating all children to the highest academic standards. While the achievement gap between disadvantaged children and others may have been reduced over the past three decades, a sizable gap still remains. In order to eliminate the achievement gap, schools should require:
- quality early intervention;
- parental involvement and training;
- quality classroom instruction;
- smaller class size;
- extended school day and year;
- adequate infusion of funding;
- access to comprehensive health care.