Currently, the need is growing to address the student achievement gap among racial/ethnic groups as well as for economically disadvantaged students. Minority students represent 24 percent of the Northwest's Region total student enrollment. American Indian and/or Alaskan Native students comprise 25 percent of Alaska's student population and 11 percent of Montana's; the national average is one percent. Data on student poverty rate shows that Oregon (38 percent) and Idaho (36 percent) are at or above the national rate of 36 percent with Washington (34 percent) and Montana (32 percent) just below the poverty rate. The diversity of languages and cultures, as well as, the current poverty rate among student populations, is a significant feature of the Northwest region. The Northwest Region shares the issues of an achievement gap in reading and mathematics between the performance of White students and both Hispanic and African-American students based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP does not provide data for American Indian and Alaskan Native students due to small sample size but state level assessments provide evidence of a similar gap. Appended are: (1) Achievement gap analysis; and (2) Biographical information about members of the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee. A glossary is also included. (Contains 17 tables.) [Report prepared by the Northwest Regional Advisory Committee.]