This report provides data on the academic achievement gap that separates low-income and minority students from other students, examining how well different groups of students perform in Mississippi and noting inequities in teacher quality, course offerings, and funding. Included are tables and data that provide: a frontier gap analysis (a comparison of Mississippi to the leaders in achievement and gap closing); student profile (the demographic distribution of youth in Mississippi); state performance (academic achievement and educational attainment); opportunity (well prepared teachers, challenging curricula, special student placements, effective instruction, and annual per pupil investments); minority achievement gains, state by state; and analysis of minority-white achievement gaps by subject area and grade level. African American 8th graders in Mississippi score about 3 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math and science and over 2 years behind in reading and writing. Hispanic 8th graders in Mississippi score 4 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math, science, and reading and more than 3 years behind in writing. Low-income 8th graders in Mississippi score at least 2 years behind non-poor 8th graders in the state in math, science, reading, and writing. The state's poor/non-poor achievement gap would close for 8th graders in both math and science if poor students in Mississippi scored as well as poor students in North Dakota. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)