The purpose of this study was to provide an exploratory analysis of African American females achievement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) within the years 1996 through 2012 across academic contents and grade levels. To conduct this analysis, four questions were posed: 1) What is the academic achievement trend of African American females on the mathematics, reading, U.S. history, science, and visual and performing arts NAEP within the years 1996 through 2012? 2) How does African American female achievement proficiency differ across grade levels on the NAEP in mathematics, reading, science, and U.S. history in 2009? 3) How does the academic achievement of African American females compare to the academic achievement of African American males in core content areas (mathematics and reading) on the NAEP? and 4)How does African American females academic achievement compare to the academic achievement of their female counterparts on core content areas (mathematics, science, U.S. history, reading, visual arts and music) on the NAEP within the years 1996 through 2012? The results of this study are: 1. African American females’ achievement trends mirrored the combined trends of all other populations; however, their scores were well below the other subgroups (Asian, White and Hispanic female students.) 2. African American females outperformed African American males in mathematics and reading. 3. More than 35% African American female students fail to meet the basic level of proficiency in all grades tested in every content area. Moreover, less than 3% of the African American female students scored at the advanced level in any subject or grade level. 4. The current practices are maintaining rather than closing the gaps between African American female performance and other students. African American female student score disparities in all other areas ranged from 1 point to 40 points. The data suggest that preteen and teenage years are important for African American female proficiency. It is recommended that African American female students, their parents, educational professionals, and researchers address the seriousness of the low performance of African American female achievement and institute policies, programs and practices to address their academic needs

The "achievement gap" is a common term in Texas public education, often referring to academic differences in achievement among student ethnic groups within the core curriculum. Seldom is Foreign Language referenced in, nor even considered relevant to such discussions in addressing the achievement gaps that exist in our public schools, although Foreign Language holds significant influence on both students' high school and post-secondary academic trajectories. Throughout the state of Texas, it has been found that African American students are not progressing in foreign language study at the same rate and length as Hispanic, White, and Asian students; these stark achievement gaps appear to be going unmentioned, unnoticed, and/or unaddressed. This interpretive case study examined the perceptions of foreign language teachers, counselors, and administrators at a central Texas high school campus through a critical lens, regarding why they felt African American students are not progressing in foreign language courses, as compared to other student ethnic groups. Data collection for this qualitative study included individual interviews, focus group sessions, field notes, documents, and school records. For data analysis, the study employed the constant comparative method. Four general themes emerged from interviews and focus group sessions with stakeholders. These themes included deficit views, racial erasure, paralogical beliefs and behaviors, and organizational constraints, which described obstacles standing in the way of creating an equitable campus for all students. This study offers implications for educational policy, practice, and future research. For policy, Texas high school graduation requirements for foreign language should be increased and accountability measures for student learning in foreign languages should be instated. For practice, the high school should commit itself to ongoing, yearlong staff development to address equity traps at the campus. Practice should also include student performance data in foreign languages to help guide discussions about achievement gaps with African Americans and other student ethnic groups. Implications for future research include the need to examine the transferability of this study's findings to public middle school and high school campuses in Texas. Future studies should also investigate the equity trap avoidance and employment of the gaze in the context of public high school foreign language courses.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program continues to expand annually with increased numbers of high school students nationwide enrolling in AP courses and taking end-of-course AP exams, in hopes of earning college credit and strengthening high school transcripts. As the College Board promotes increased minority student participation (specifically African-American and Hispanic students) in AP courses, AP teachers face new challenges as potential first-generation college students enter their classrooms with below-level reading scores and a lack of essential critical-thinking skills needed for college-level assessment. The participants in this study are five AP U.S. History Teachers from urban, suburban, and rural Title I high schools. In this inquiry, I explore how their backgrounds and experiences shape their approaches to curriculum and pedagogy in their respective environments. I conducted two separate interviews with each teacher: the first addressed their formative years and educational experiences, while the second focused on their teaching philosophies and how they deliver course content. The data revealed similar instructional practices among the participants, all of whom choose student-centered teaching models to varying degrees to enhance student engagement. This discourse highlights the need for further inquiry into the perspectives of AP teachers in Title I schools to inform future policymaking decisions within schools and school districts to enhance historically marginalized student populations’ college and career opportunities.

As the United States (U.S.) population continues to change and become racially/ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse, so does the population in public schools (Institute of Education Sciences, 2010). Additionally, the number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students has been overrepresented in the subgroup of students with learning disabilities (SLD) (Artiles & Ortiz, 2002; Kalynpur & Harry, 2012; Klingner & Harry, 2014). Therefore, there is a need to adapt the curriculum and pedagogy to teach the growing number of diverse students in public schools. The results of national assessments show that students of color have lagged behind their White counterparts in mathematics achievement over the years (Cortes, Goodman, & Nomi, 2013). Despite the push to remediate this problem, teachers continue to use ineffective teacher-led practices and the achievement gap persists across public schools (Williams, 2011). The use of cultural responsive teaching (CRT) among CLD students is promising (Santamaria, 2009). However, there is need to investigate the use of these practices in Algebra I courses with CLD students with SLD. The present 17-week pre-post study compared student achievement in Algebra I courses between two groups of CLD students with SLD (N=63). These groups were (a) 31 students who received CRT (treatment group) by teachers who received CRT training and (b) 32 students who received instruction by teachers who did not receive CRT training (control group). There are significant differences between the treatment and the control group on the CLD students with SLD Algebra I Mid-Year Assessment (MYA) and the students’ Mathematics Self-Efficacy scores (MSES). The teachers’ level of cultural consciousness had an insignificant covariance on the Algebra I MYA, yet the teachers’ observations and their cultural responsive self-assessment had a direct effect on the Algebra I MYA. Additionally, there was not significant interaction between MSES and TCS on the students’ Algebra I MYA. The results of the study suggest that the use of CRT is a promising practice to improve CLD students’ with SLD Algebra I achievement and perhaps close the math achievement gap.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the relationship between the digital divide and the Latino-White achievement gap in online education. Through an analysis of archival enrollment and academic performance data a comparison was conducted between online and face-to-face courses by ethnicity. Additionally, academic performance data was then compared to survey responses from online students on digital motivation, material access, internet skills, and internet usage. Findings and recommendations for future research are discussed and provided to continue the exploration of disparities of digital access and academic performance in an effort to inform decisions in higher education.

abstract: ABSTRACT To remain competitive on local, state, and national levels and to achieve future economic and social goals, Imperial and Yuma County need an educated workforce. The primary industries supporting the desert region are technical, science, technology, enginnering and mathematics (STEM)-based, and require a highly skilled and educated workforce. There continue to be vast disparities in terms of numbers of students declared and enrolled in STEM transfer degree programs and the number of students completing STEM bachelor’s degrees. Perceptions regarding post-secondary education start to develop at a young age and can prevent or enable a student’s development of post-secondary aspirations. Understanding a student’s perceptions of barriers are important because they can prevent students from completing a four-year degree. The pilot research provided in the study are the first steps in helping educators and community leaders understand what drives and form student perceived educational barriers and student perceptions of self, and then provide a better understanding of first-generation Hispanic students’ value of higher education. As part of the study, I designed the science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics (“STEAM”) College Success Program to help college students overcome the perceived barriers intervening with the completion of a bachelor’s degree. The program involved community, industry, and college students in a unique experience of incorporating a one-week camp, academic year of mentorship, STEM education, and college support. Pilot results of the “STEAM” College Success Program indicate the innovation was effective in reducing perceived barriers relating to college success and bachelor’s degree completion.and was most effective in the area of self-efficacy and personal achievement. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2019

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While there is ample research theorizing reasons for so-called "achievement gaps" between African American and White students on standardized tests, few studies explore African Americans' perceptions of the impact these tests have on overall education. Through interviews with six current students attending Hillsborough County public high schools, one recent graduate of a Hillsborough County high school, and two parents of students in Hillsborough County public schools, this research study probes participants' perceptions of the impact of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) on their high school experiences. All participants in the study identified as African American or Black. Through archival research and participant observation with the Tampa Bay Academy of Hope (TBAH), a non-profit organization dedicated to developing leadership, behavioral, and academic skills for inner-city middle and high school students, this study also investigates the role of community-based organizations in facilitating the successful navigation of academic and bureaucratic challenges for African American students and parents in the quest for academic success at and beyond the high school level in Hillsborough County. The consequences of standardized testing in the Hillsborough County schools participants have attended reach beyond individuals' successful graduation, affecting course options, academic tracking, school structure, and school climate. Here I argue that standardized testing is another method of academic tracking, and school-wide penalties and rewards associated with disaggregated standardized test scores impact student and parent perceptions of school climate and school-family relationship.

An increasing number of multicultural students are attending U.S. public schools. At a Title I elementary school in a rural region of the southern United States, multicultural students had not met academic standards as measured by state exams, and state scores had been very low for 5 consecutive years. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the instructional strategies used by Grade 4 teachers in helping multicultural students pass state tests. The conceptual framework was Vygotsky's theory of cognitive and social constructivism and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The foci of research questions were on identifying teachers' instructional strategies and clarifying why those strategies are used. Nine teachers who had taught in multicultural classrooms were selected via purposive sampling and were interviewed individually. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes that emerged included the use of educational software, students' learning styles, and differentiation of instruction. Key findings indicated that these Grade 4 teachers incorporated students' background knowledge and interests into lessons and educational resources authored by multicultural authors. The resulting project was a professional development program for Grade 4 teachers of multicultural students that includes a workshop, PowerPoint presentation, an executive summary, and instructional strategies. These findings will help teachers improve their instructional strategies, which will, in turn, enance the learning of these Grade 4 students.

This mixed-methods study analyzed the effectiveness of the practices and attitudes of selected African American teachers who use culturally relevant and responsive Afrocentric pedagogies as the instructional foundation for improved academic outcomes with their African American students. The theory of Afrocentricity was used as the philosophical framework to study their pedagogy. Afrocentricity is a mode of thought and practice in which in African people are placed at the center of their own history and culture; engages them as subjects rather than objects; and approaches them with respect for their interests, values, and perspectives (Asante 1980, 2003). Concepts employed from this theoretical framework provided a lens for the triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data collected and analyzed. The setting for this study was a private Afrocentric prekindergarten through 8th-grade school. The participants in this study were 3 African American teachers. Data collected and analyzed supported using culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy to produce improved academic outcomes for students of color (Boykin, 1984, 1994; Hale-Benson, 1986; King, 1991; Ladson-Billings, 1994; Shujaa, 1995; Villegas, 1991). Findings suggested that in selected academic settings improved academic performance occurred for African American students when teachers used culture relevant and responsive pedagogy. The following themes were embedded in the pedagogy: self-determination, academic empowerment, cultural empowerment, and family/community empowerment. The findings implied a need for teachers and teacher-training institutions to re-examine, recommit, and reinstitute culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy that respects and addresses the culture, education, and social improvement for positive academic outcomes for all children.