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 North Dakota and noting inequities in teacher quality, course offerings, and funding. Included are tables and data that provide: a frontier gap analysis (a comparison of North Dakota to the leaders in achievement and gap closing); student profile (the demographic distribution of youth in North Dakota); partial 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. Student achievement data are based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). North Dakota did not participate in any of the NAEP tests in 1998, thereby making it impossible to provide a complete profile of student achievement. Based on 1996 evaluations, 4th graders from low-income families in North Dakota out-performed low-income 4th graders in all other states in math. Low-income 8th graders also out-performed low-income 8th graders in math and science in all other states. Though Hispanic 8th graders in North Dakota made more progress in math from 1990 to 1996 than Hispanic 8th graders in almost any other state, they were still 2 years behind white 8th graders in math and science. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)