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 Virginia and noting inequities in teacher quality, course offerings, and funding. Included are tables and data that provide: a frontier gap analysis (a comparison of Virginia to the leaders in achievement and gap closing); student profile (the demographic distribution of youth in Virginia); 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. Hispanic 8th graders in Virginia out-perform Hispanic 8th graders in all other states in reading and writing. Hispanic 8th graders in Virginia also made more progress in math from 1990 to 1996 than Hispanic 8th graders in most other states. However, Hispanic 8th graders in Virginia still score more than 2 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math, science, and reading, and 1 year behind in writing. African American 8th graders in Virginia score 3 years behind white 8th graders in the state in math and science, more than 2 years behind in reading, and nearly 2 years behind in writing. The state's poor/non-poor achievement gap would close for 8th graders in science if poor students in Virginia scored as well as poor students in North Dakota. (Contains 24 references.) (SM)