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Urban, suburban and rural school districts across the country are all grappling with issues concerning the plight of students of color and in particular males of color who continue to lag academically behind their female counterparts and in particular their same age male complements. This qualitative research study explored factors and procedural operations contributing to the founding, expansion and ultimate success of a predominantly African American single gender public charter high school serving young men located in a large metropolitan northeastern city. Study participants included teachers, school administrators, school board members, and other school staff who agreed to participate in this study, conducted over a two-year period. At the time of the study, the school enrolled 498 young men and employed approximately 47 staff, which included teachers, non-instructional personnel and administrative staff. In addition to first-hand interviews accounts, findings were documented through field observations, review of anecdotal records such as Staff and Student Handbooks, teacher lesson plans and standardized test scores, which included the state-mandated annual examination. Three primary findings emerged from almost 100 hours of the study and were operationalized bounded by a conceptual framework around three distinct themes: (1) teacher/student developed relationships in the classroom and outside the classroom, (2) school climate and culture, and tangible policies and procedures developed to encourage a peaceful and purposeful school environment, linked to incentives, a documented rigid i disciplinary style approach to education, and (3) the role of consistent and effective school governance from a committed Board of Trustees and the resiliency and sustainable leadership of school administrators. These three conceptual domains formed the basis that this school has made key strides in demonstrating social and academic success in the lives of African American males. The findings also amplify that despite discourse which suggests the underachievement of Black boys in schools, the young men attending West Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School (pseudonym) enrolled with a variety of assets which included mentors, parents who demonstrated immense interest in the success of their children, peer to peer supports, high attendance records and resiliency in negotiating challenges between their communities of residence and the school. These findings are significant for single gender schools, urban public education, charter and independent schools, classroom management and the influence of a Latin-based foundation as they provide the critical ingredients desired to improve K-12 spaces delivering increased opportunities for postsecondary success and future workforce-ready participants. The results of the study tell us that teachers, administrators and other school personnel play a key role in delivering a specific set of actions items which tend to illuminate assets that young men bring to school which eventually contributes to their successful matriculation through high school. Further, results identify key functions of school policy and procedures that produced an academically rich, culturally sensitive and safe environment which contributed to maintaining high academic performance, increased student attendance and a unique set of in school and non-traditional extended day activities for African American males. / Educational Leadership

Approximately half of all incarcerated individuals in the United States are young African American men. Researchers have documented that nonincarcerated siblings may commit a crime when their sibling is in prison. The current study addressed literature regarding the experiences, and coping strategies of nonincarcerated young African American men who live in the inner city, and have a male sibling in prison. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study explored the lived experiences and coping strategies of African American male youth with a brother in incarceration. Purposive sampling was used to select 3 nonincarcerated African American young men aged 18 to 24 years living in the inner city of a large city in southern Connecticut for in-depth interviews. Overall findings showed that while having an incarcerated sibling was a profoundly negative experience for study participants, and their families, the study participants also developed some positive coping strategies as a result of their experiences. These results could help policymakers, social workers, counselors, and criminal justice professionals understand the impacts of sibling incarceration, and learn how to deal more effectively with youth affected by it. .

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