Ossining and Peekskill aren’t attacking the achievement gap between minority and white students in the same way.

Ossining has targeted the performance of black males.

In Peekskill, it’s a kind of lift-all-boats approach.

But the two Westchester districts share two things in common other than their location on the east bank of the Hudson River.

They’re driving everything they’re doing with data, setting up many ways to measure progress and checking back in constantly to make course corrections.

And they’re fanatically focused.

“We consider it a moral imperative to eradicate the achievement gap,” said Ossining Superintendent Bob Roelle at the start of a presentation by trustees and administrators.

Showing the faculty the data on their own students’ GPAs, drop out and suspension rates and test scores was key for both districts. It’s one thing when it’s another national study. It’s quite another when it’s kids you know.

” It was in everyone’s face,” said Ossining Deputy Superintendent Phyllis Glassman.

Ossining’s “program”:http://www.ossiningufsd.org/2000%20Board%20of%20Education/achievement_gap.htm starts in the maternity ward, as they visit new moms to talk about early childhood education. It continues at every level, including an untraditional college-prep program for black male students starting in sixth grade.

Peekskill, too, has put together a variety of programs. They focus on enhancements – creative opportunities for learning, not just remediation – from their “after-school programs”:http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006608110302 to their new Twilight Academy work-study program for high-schoolers who struggle in the traditional system.

“We’re still kid-centered as opposed to score-centered,” said Peekskill Trustee John Hallinan at the presentation by his district this afternoon.

Syracuse school board member Kim Rohadfox-Ceaser came out of the Peekskill presentation thinking her district could benefit from Peekskill’s method of developing and updating its “strategic plan.”:http://www.peekskillcsd.org

“I’d be interested in bringing a group together to look at our strategic plan, to give us feedback and look at what is working and what isn’t,” she said.

Mount Vernon Trustee Maria Cedano said the most inspiring thing about Ossining’s presentation was to see that the achievement gap can be tackled, not just talked about.

“I think their college-prep program is something we need to look into,” she said. “I’d love to have us visit the Ossining district. More than hearing about it from me – seeing it in action. If we could get a delegation of teachers and principals to go, that would be something.”