Raising Achievement in Monroeville and Pitcairn (RAMP) is keeping up momentum that it built last year to address the academic achievement gap in Gateway School District by pursuing its goals.

Last summer, the group had a community meeting at Garden City United Methodist Church on the achievement gap among black and economically-disadvantaged students. About 50 people attended the meeting.

Another community meeting will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Aug. 9 at the church to review what community groups have done in the past year to address the issue, recognize RAMP's tutor volunteers and students, acknowledge schools that have shown evidence of narrowing the achievement gap and discuss ways to further close the gap.

As RAMP gets ready for its second community meeting, it has been busy this summer with its open weekly meetings at 7:30 on Wednesday nights at the church, and approaching businesses in Monroeville for collaboration.

Epryl King, RAMP president and Monroeville resident, would like to see local businesses have a student employee rewards program based on academic growth for students of all achievement levels. Besides benefiting students, businesses would benefit from students bringing their friends and families to patronize those businesses, King said.

Getting businesses involved with RAMP's mission is how RAMP hopes to get the entire community involved, she said.

King made a presentation to PNC staff in June to inform them about RAMP and the importance of businesses supporting the organization's goals.

So far, two PNC employees have committed to serving as tutors for RAMP's tutoring program and a few others have expressed interest in tutoring, she said.

As a Gateway parent and teacher, King said, the achievement gap in the district is not acceptable.

Andrew Griffin, RAMP board member, hopes more residents will become aware of the achievement gap and the organization soon will receive support from Gateway School Board. He has three boys in the district.

Griffin hopes RAMP also sees more people get involved to help address the achievement gap because everyone in the community is welcome to participate.

Gateway's PSSA results for the 2006-07 school year showed a gap of 28 percent between white and black students for scoring at least proficient in reading and math, according to a state Department of Education report.

Fifty-two percent of economically disadvantaged students scored proficient or advanced proficient in math and 50 percent of those students scored proficient or advanced proficient in reading. The gap between economically disadvantaged students and white students in math is 21 percent and in reading is 23 percent, according to the state report.

All students must be proficient in reading and math by 2013-14 as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act.

King hopes RAMP's tutoring program will grow so that students struggling with academics can receive the help they need.

So far, the group has eight active volunteers, who hold free sessions at Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd., for children from Monroeville and Pitcairn.

The tutors are available year-round to help students with homework, study skills and PSSA test prep.

To register for tutoring or become a volunteer, contact Marlene Dean at the library by phone at 412-372-0500, ext.17, or by e-mail at deanm@einetwork.net. RAMP has a Web site at www.achievementap.info.

Joseph Wightkin, Gateway School Board member, said the district also is working on closing the achievement gap through various programs in the schools and Superintendent Cleveland Steward Jr. has attended RAMP meetings to share the district's efforts on the issue.

"The achievement gap is a complex problem. We are addressing the achievement gap with differentiated instruction," Wightkin said. "It seems to be working. It will take a while to work."