This review of literature provides information relevant to school climate. The following issues are presented: historical development of Alabama Black Belt; high and low achieving schools; how African American children learn; instructional strategies to promote student achievement; school climate effects (assessment of school climate, parent involvement, student connectedness, school problems, and student achievement); leadership and school climate; and summary and conclusions.
Historical Development of Alabama Black Belt
This study is focused on Black Belt schools. These schools are located in Alabama's Black Belt. This region is found from Texas to Virginia and has been historically viewed as the home of the poorest people but the richest soil in the United States. The term was first used to refer to parts of the country with a specific color of soil, which was thick, dark, and rich in nutrients. This was also soil found in the South, a place where slaves were profitable and found in large numbers. Since the war the term Black Belt took on a new meaning and was used to describe counties in which the number of African Americans are higher than the number whites. There are two hundred counties in today's Black Belt and more than half of the population in these counties is African-American. Significant historical events took place in the Alabama Black Belt such as the civil rights struggles during the twentieth century. Alabama's Black Belt is a place known for its cultural traditions and its need for assistance. The population suffers from a declining population, economic problems, and poor schools and health care (Institute for Rural Health Research, 2005).
Trotman (2001) reported that African American students are failing school at higher rates than other students. Factors linked to this problem include poverty, lack of resources, poor home-school communication, and lack of parental involvement. Darling-Hamm...