Gov. Ed Rendell yesterday said that while the number of African-American adults with high school diplomas increased between 1970 and 2000, the state has a long way to go before the achievement gap between black and white students is bridged.

		For information For more information on the commission, visit www.africanam.state.pa.us, or call: 1-877-374-0222.

Rendell spoke at a Black History Month celebration at the University of Pittsburgh, telling an audience of 350 middle and high school students from the Pittsburgh Public Schools about the importance of education.

A report released Wednesday by the Urban Institute and the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University said that only about half the minority students in the United States graduate from high school (read article). In Pennsylvania, 46 percent of African-American students graduated from high school in 2001, compared with 81 percent of white students.

"There's still a lot of discouraging information," Rendell said. "We are not doing the job correctly in Pennsylvania."

Rendell reiterated his commitment to reform and improve the system, touting more pre-kindergarten education, smaller class sizes, yearly assessment testing, more tutoring programs, after-school and summer school programs. He also said it will take more money to fund the programs and more cooperation from the state Legislature.

"Investing in our children is not only our moral obligation but it makes sense for us," Rendell said. "They would be qualified workers."

Rendell's appearance marked the end of a 29-day Black History Month tour across the state, intended to help educate African-American youth about Pennsylvania's black history. The tour was sponsored by the Governor's Advisory Commission on African-American Affairs.

The tour stopped in Harrisburg, York, Philadelphia and Erie before arriving in Pittsburgh. Organizers said the Pittsburgh audience was the largest of all the tour stops. Students from all of the Pittsburgh high schools and Frick International Studies Academy attended.

"[Rendell] seems like he could be a very good person," said Malcolm Williams, 17, a junior at Carrick High School. "It definitely seems like he has a strong commitment to education and he's in support of our education."