URGENT REPORT: The factors contributing to the outcomes of black males in urban schools

A CALL FOR CHANGE:

The social and educational factors contributing to the outcomes of black males in urban schools

Black males continue to perform lower than their peers throughout the country on almost every indicator. 

The nation’s young Black males are in a state of crisis. They do not have the same opportunities as their male or female counterparts across the country. Their infant mortality rates are higher, and their access to health care is more limited. They are more likely to live in single-parent homes and less likely to participate in early childcare programs. They are less likely to be raised in a household with a fully employed adult, and they are more likely to live in poverty. 

As adults, Black males are less likely than their peers to be employed. At almost every juncture, the odds are stacked against these young men in ways that result in too much unfulfilled potential and too many fractured lives.

And while much work over the years has gone into addressing the challenge of the Black–White achievement gap, there has been no concerted national effort focused on the education and social outcomes of Black males specifically. 

There is 

• no specified office within the U.S. Department of Education 
• no primary federal source to collect and maintain data on Black males 
• no legislative projects within local, state, or national budgets
• no attention on the collection of information on this set of issues outside of a few dedicated organizations
• no national policy that would drive resources or attention to the issue
• no federal education program on the educational status of Black males. 

In order to get a complete picture of the depth of the issues, this report looks closely at the reading and math achievement of the fourth- and eighth-grade Black males in our large city schools. It tracks their progress and compare their scores, as a whole, with the scores of White males in national public schools. In various combinations, it compare the scores of Black and White males who are and are not eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, Black and White males with and without disabilities, and Black males in urban areas vs. Black males in national public schools among other comparisons. Also, it looks at the disaggregated reading and math achievement levels of Black males in 18 big city school districts.

p.s. This 100+ page report, provides a comprehensive breakdown of exactly why school districts like Chester perform among the lowest in the nation. I challenge you to read this report and share it with your friends.

Until we understand the issues, we'll never solve the problems. 

Click HERE to view the report