LAUP CEO, Celia C. Ayala, Ph.D., joined a panel of distinguished members recently to discuss concerns over the widening academic achievement gap among students in Los Angeles during an event organized by The Junior League of Los Angeles.

Dr. Ayala, along with Yolie Flores, member of the Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education; John Rogers, Associate Professor of UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies; Roberto Gonzalez, Director of Student Success Initiatives at Santa Monica College; and Marco Petruzzi, President and CEO of Green Dot Public Schools, discussed the topic in front of more than 100 people.

"The achievement gap in education is serious and it's troubling," Flores said at the Nov. 9 event. She noted about 30 percent of third-graders don't read according to third-grade standards, and nearly 50 percent of students do not graduate at many LAUSD schools.

 The Junior League of Los Angeles is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. It is one of the oldest and most influential volunteer organizations in the world, and its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

"We share their belief that every student should have equitable and optimal opportunities to learn free from bias, and applaud their support of programs and initiatives that aim to close the academic achievement gap," Dr. Ayala said.

"Quality preschool evens the playing field for students as they enter kindergarten and progress through school," continued Dr. Ayala, who urged members of The Junior League to join LAUP's efforts to increase accessibility to quality preschool to children across Los Angeles County.

"Children who start behind entering kindergarten often stay behind for the remainder of their school experience," she explained. "That is why quality preschool education is so critical to a child."