Building Better Narratives in Black Education

Building Better Narratives in Black Education Education has always been of utmost importance to the Black community— from desegregating K-12 schools and colleges, to managing historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the African American community has always championed equality of opportunity and access for students because, in this country, it has long been the key to social mobility and economic independence. Author: Meredith B.L. Anderson, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate UNCF, Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute © 2016, UNCF 1805 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 T 202 810 0200 F 202 810 0225 UNCF.org Contents 02 Executive Summary HOW TO USE THIS REPORT This report is designed to provide tangible approaches to shift the narrative 04 Introduction concerning Black educational reform in order to better engage communities around K-12 education and drive substantive policy changes for Black students. To do this, we build on the experiences of an array of Black voices on K-12 05 Study Scope education. We hope individuals will be able to: 1 06 How to Build a Better Narrative Understand a diverse subset of the Black community’s perspective on key issues such as: ❚❚ Standards 16 Call to Action ❚❚ Accountability ❚❚ Educational Options 18 Conclusion ❚❚ Educational Aspirations and Evaluations 19 Appendix Assess best practices and promising strategies for Black students Implement the recommendations to help close the achievement and 21 Endnotes opportunity gaps and change the narrative in Black education reform Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Hart Research Associates, Dr. Silas Lee and Associates, MEE Productions Inc., Douglas E. Schoen, LLC, and SKDKnickerbocker for collecting data that served as the foundation for this report; Dr. Brian K. Bridges of the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute and Dr. Hal Smith and his team at the National Urban League for providing valuable feedback on previous drafts; and Sekou Biddle, Naomi Shelton, Christopher Stewart and Peter Cunningham for continuing to drive this body of work within their organizations and setting the vision for how research changes perceptions of K-12 education for Black children. Suggested Citation: Anderson, Meredith B.L. 2016. Building Better Narratives in Black Education. Washington, DC: UNCF. Building Better Narratives in Black Education 2 Executive Summary Building Better Narratives in Black Education fundamentally changes the narrative and face of education reform to meaningfully include Black voices, leaders and initiatives % that truly have equity and Black student success at the core. This is imperative as there is an education crisis for Black Black students in the United States. Recent National As- Students sessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results indicate 7 that only seven percent of Black students performed at or above proficient on the 12th grade math exam in 2015, Performed at compared with 32 percent of White students. African or above American students are less likely to meet ACT college readiness benchmarks than any other racial group and proficient on often lag behind on various indicators on the primary and % the 12th grade secondary levels. However, far too often the narrative has White NAEP math stopped there. While it is important to deconstruct and Students exam in 2015 analyze inequities in the educational system, we have to 32 move from solely deficit-based narratives to decisions to strengthen policies and conversations that fundamentally change the state of education for African American students. It’s time to build a better, more actionable narrative that represents the promise of education to drive equity. We have to move from solely deficit-based narratives to decisions to strengthen policies and conversations that fundamentally change the state of education for African American students. UNCF, Education Post and the National Urban League each collected data on African Americans’ perspective on significant K-12 education issues, and this report synthe- sizes salient themes from these various data. Grounded in the lived experiences of the African American community, Building Better Narratives in Black Education provides tangible approaches to fundamentally shift the narrative concerning Black educational reform in order to better engage communities and reformers around an equitable K-12 education system. 3 Building Better Narratives in Black Education How exactly do we build a better narrative? Building a better Building a better Building a better Building a better narrative involves narrative involves narrative involves narrative involves understanding what the promoting and not only underscoring promoting the “urgency community is saying. investing in high- educational inequality, of now.” quality reforms and but truly celebrating While Black students’ initiatives. success. While reforming education educational attainment is a complex task, we is often the topic of Despite some While there are should act swiftly to various policy initiatives, misconceptions, the considerable inequalities change the narrative in the voices within their findings indicate that in education, there are Black education. Children community are not the African American successful approaches are impressionable— often incorporated in a community is very around the country consistently hearing meaningful way. In fact, knowledgeable and that are striving toward negative messages some may even align to informed about key academic success about their educational the myth that the Black aspects in education for all students. This trajectory can have a community is apathetic policy such as high- report discusses several detrimental influence toward education— quality assessments, programs, systems and on their self-efficacy something we found to be Common Core State research initiatives led by and beliefs about unequivocally false. The Standards, teacher quality African Americans that education. Additionally, findings reveal that Black and accountability, and are making great strides parents and leaders can parents and caregivers high-quality schools. for African American become disillusioned and are tired of the negative Overall, the data reveal youth. disengaged as well. The tone in education, and that the African American stakes are too dire and the language and key community wants an consequential to delay messages around equity-centered, quality making fundamental educational improvement education for African change for Black matter to them in American students that students. real ways. Despite the will prepare them for numerous challenges in college and promising education, it is still seen careers. as an important tool for success among African Americans. As states proceed to implement the Every Student have a sense of agency in this work. The report concludes Succeeds Act (ESSA), it is imperative that the voices of local with recommendations for various stakeholders and communities are heard and incorporated in a meaningful a call to action that can help shift common narratives way. In fact, the law requires this valuable input. Our and profoundly advance education reform and policy for efforts reveal that the African American community is African American students. well-informed about key education issues and wants to Building Better Narratives in Black Education 4 Introduction As a country, we have been grappling for decades with However, the public narrative surrounding the education the harsh realities of systemic inequality, institutional of Black children has concentrated on a discourse of racism and discrimination against African Americans. under-achievement and failure, rather than excellence Recently, we have seen protests erupt over police brutality and equity. To be clear, a conversation about the struggles and injustice. We have also seen demands for fair policy of Black students and the institutions that serve them reform and concerted efforts among multiple communi- is needed to understand specific strategies and invest- ties to make tangible changes in government. The fight ments that will make a difference. Unpacking inequality for equality in education is similar to this movement in in our nation’s schools has elevated conversations on many ways. In fact, soon after the 2015 Baltimore protests the achievement and opportunity gaps. This report is not ensued over the death of an unarmed young Black man, about discounting real, systemic inequalities that exist, conversations in the media shifted to the city’s educational but it proposes building a better, more impactful and inequalities and its linkage to the criminal justice system. actionable narrative that represents the promise of education to drive equity and is more expansive than current The unwavering impetus for change frames. Such a narrative is also more culturally resonant in our nation’s schools is still evident; and representative of the social and intellectual capital of the hunger to illuminate the crisis the African American community. A more thoughtful and for Black students is ever-present. comprehensive narrative demands that the contributions of communities of color be embedded within the discourse The Black education reform movement and the current on education in a real and meaningful way. This report civil rights moment are inextricably linked.2 The tumultu- challenges us to move from deficit-based discussions to ous fight for equality in education is also rooted in a history decisions to strengthen policies and conversations

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