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RALEIGH -- The Wake County school board's task force on economically disadvantaged students got to work on Thursday. The group is comprised of dozens of educators, school administrators, board members, community leaders and concerned parents.

Their first main task was to decide what success should look like within the school system for economically disadvantaged (ED) kids. People suggested goals such as a 100 percent graduation rate, getting students to be more motivated and involving the community.

"It's very important for us to connect the children with the parents, to involve the parents in the life of the children, and to have a home where they child can be loved and can be helped," said Abel Grande, a pastor of a Garner church that works with the Hispanic community.

Wake County schools data indicates an achievement gap between ED and non-ED kids that ranges from 20 to 40 percent. The gaps in reading and math have steadily decreased over the last few years, but administrators and board members said it's not at a fast enough pace to close the gap completely.

Committee chair John Tedesco said he's also concerned with the high number of school suspensions in the county. That's why he's pledged that the discussions among task force members will turn into action. Tedesco said he hopes to get at least five substantial recommendations in the next three to four months.

"We talked about being more data-driven as well as understanding not just from the bubble of education but the community," he said. "Let's talk to folks in juvenile justice and community programs and understand where the impact is happening together, and then create some real action items with a measurable timeline and let's start achieving them."

Retired educator and former State Board of Education member Marvin Pittman said the group will need to have very frank conversations about what's wrong because there's a lot at stake. "This is a tough discussion, and we can't play games with it because all of our futures are wrapped up together," he said. "If we don't educate all the children well, we're going to find this community, not just the Southeast Raleigh community, but we're going to find the whole Wake County community suffering."

The task force plans to meet on the fourth Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. The first meeting was at Barwell Road Elementary School, but the Tedesco said they will rotate locations throughout the county.