The entry below is written by Liz Dwyer from an article titled: "New Report Puts the Black Male Achievement Crisis in the Spotlight". To read the full report click here.
The latest study on urban black male academic achievement is out, and the news isn't good. In fact, it's downright depressing.
A 120-page report titled A Call for Change: The Social and Educational Factors Contributing to the Outcomes of Black Males in Urban Schoolsshines a light on six key areas affecting black males, including achievement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, college and career readiness, and school experiences.
The report is produced by the Washington, D.C.-based Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of 66 of the nation's largest urban public school systems. One superintendent and one school board member from each member city sits on the Council's board.
According to the report's findings, in 2009, a national average of 51 percent of black male eighth graders scored below the basic level in reading on the NAEP test. The lowest performing cities? In Detroit, 70 percent are below the basic level, and in Fresno, California, 72 percent are below basic.
Mathematics results are even worse. Nationally, 58 percent of black male eighth graders scored below basic in math. Again, black males in Detroit perform the worst with 80 percent of black males scoring below basic. Los Angeles and Cleveland aren't doing much better—78 percent of black males in both cities score below basic.
These low achievement levels aren't just the result of poverty. The average black fourth and eighth grade male who is not poor doesn't do any better on the NAEP than white males who come from low-income backgrounds. The data also shows that black males without special education challenges also don't score any higher than white males withspecial needs.
To read more.....Click Here!
Next Steps:
What the Gye Nyame Empowerment Project is doing to reach young black men: Creating our first annual Brotha-2-Brotha Youth Summit for young high school men in May 2011. We believe that if one provides support and offers love, everything else will fall into place.
What can you do?
I read the report 2 weeks ago and was floored but not surprised. When I worked in a charter school in Hartford I saw all too many of the cohort that the report refers to slipping through the cracks. Our approach at reaching these your men has to be radically different. We need more black male teachers in the school and more interactive lessons, we need more mentorship programs and father's that are going to be held accountable. We can not give up hope even if the stats seem dire. Thank you for making an effort with your brotha-2-brotha summit.
ReplyDeleteI can be a mentor and tutor. Every action counts.