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 California and noting inequities in teacher quality, course offerings, and funding. Included are tables and data that provide: a frontier gap analysis (a comparison of California to the leaders in achievement and gap closing); student profile (the demographic distribution of youth in California); 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. African American 4th graders in California made more progress in reading between 1992 and 1998 than African American 4th graders in almost any other state. However, African American 8th graders in California score more than 3 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math and science and more than 2 years behind in reading and writing. Hispanic 8th graders in California score more than 3 years behind white 8th graders in the state in all four areas. The state's poor/non-poor achievement gap would close for 8th graders in science if poor students in California scored as well as poor students in North Dakota. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)