Improving Education Outcomes for African American Youth: Issues for Consideration and Discussion

Abstract

The current state of low academic achievement among a large majority of African American students is complex. While the U.S. has long professed that a world-class education is the right of every child, there are still major inequities in the education system that leave African American children with fewer opportunities to receive a quality education throughout the educational pipeline (elementary, secondary, and postsecondary). African American students have fewer high-quality teachers, less resourced schools, fewer gifted programs, and limited access to college preparatory coursework. These inequities are further complicated by issues of poverty and geography. For African American students, reduced and constrained access to educational opportunities begins in the early years and persists throughout the PreK-12 education system and beyond. This report points out several points throughout the education pipeline where African American students are lost. Knowing these points of loss presents an opportunity to be strategic and deliberate with our investments in African American children and youth.