Academic Achievement Differentials
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This report described the academic situation confronted by many minority group students in the United States, focusing largely upon the achievement deficits observed when African-American public school students are compared to Caucasian and Asian students. It argues that whereas it is important to ensure that curriculum and testing are appropriate for all students, it is equally important to determine what policies and programs will result in the enhancement of parental involvement in schools and in schooling. The discussion moves from a quantitative review of literature to a brief discussion of interviews conducted with an educator, an administrator in a public school, and a student that provide greater insight into questions regarding whether or not academic achievement differentials do exist when these groups are compared and/or best practices for overcoming these differentials. The report concludes with recommendations as to how schools can facilitate higher levels of parental involvement. Introduction and Statement of Purpose It has long been understood that the American public school system has not succeeded in providing truly equal educational opportunities for all students (Oakes, 2005). Most likely to be underserved or poorly served by this system are the children of the poor, members of minority groups, and students with special needs. Of particular interest to educational reformers are the achievement differentials observed when students from racial,
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nts in their children's schools.
Of special significance, said Machen, Wilson, and Notar (2005), is the creation of programs that directly reach out to low income families and to families of students believed to be at-risk. Many parents in these populations experience difficulty in interacting with educational authorities due to fear of authority, uncertainty about their rights to be involved in schooling, or in the belief that they and their children are devalued by the educational authorities; consequently, creating numerous opportunities for varied types of parental involvement is a challenge for educators and school administrators. Some schools offer stipends for low-income parents who work in classrooms or administrative offices, while others provide parenting skill classes that are designed to assist parents in learning how to help their children with homework and behavioral matters. Other schools offer babysitting and transportation to make it easier for parents with small children or limited funds to participate in school activities.
Empirical research supports the efficacy of parental involvement as a spur to improved student learning outcomes for students of all racial and ethnic groups and all socioeconomic backgr
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Some common words found in the essay are:
African-American Hispanic, Beringer Englemann, Classroom Teacher, Vartanian Gleason, Education United, Bloom Taxonomy, Shepard Rose, According Griffin, Summary Conclusion, Seaman Yoo, parental involvement, minority students, public school, academic achievement, standardized tests, lareau 2003, school system, oakes 2005, griffin 2002, public school system, course reader sociology, sociology 190 pp, american public school, reader sociology, reader sociology 190,
Approximate Word count = 8298
Approximate Pages = 33 (250 words per page)
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