Silver Run Elementary School in the Millville Public School District is facing a major challenge. Last year's New Jersey State standardize test scores suggested a considerable gap in achievement in special education and African American populations. As a result, Silver Run School has been labeled a Focus School by the State of New Jersey. To meet the challenges associated with this status, the Silver Run School leadership team must identify strategies to narrow the achievement. As this Executive Position Paper (EPP) indicates, understanding culturally responsive teaching has become a critical competency for today's educational system. Silver Run School is not exempt from this. Simply stated, culturally responsive teaching is a must for any educational institution whose goal is to narrow the achievement gap. Therefore, the goal of this EPP is to provide Silver Run School Leadership Team with evidence justifying the need for culturally responsive teaching, as well as a framework to assist in school improvement planning and implementation. This EPP is divided into three chapters. Chapter I serves as a review of recent literature on the topic. This review will provide the reader with evidence supporting the need for, the impact of, and the benefits of culturally responsive teaching. Chapter II features an evaluation of the questionnaire conducted and a culturally responsive framework for school improvement planning. The data discovered during the evaluation provides the answer to the central question, "What are the perceptions of teachers regarding using culturally responsive teaching in addressing the achievement gap?" Chapter III outlines recommendations for implementation and draws conclusions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]