The National Institute of Justice recently gave a $2 million grant to the Charlotte Mecklenburg school district in Charlotte, North Carolina, to improve educational outcomes for African American students.
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Throughout the school district, black students are generally less prepared for college than their white peers, and the National Institute of Justice argues that this is merely because of an imbalance in resources and opportunities.
According to WSOCTV, 36% of African-American students are prepared for college in math compared to 79% of white students at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. In reading, 31% of African-American students are college-ready, compared to 73% of white students.
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The grant will fund a new initiative led by the Research Triangle Institute to help ninth-graders adjust to high school and begin preparing for college.
The research program aims to help 20,000 students academically. It will also work on behavioral issues to reduce suspensions and expulsions.
Staff members at the high school will receive training and parents will also receive coaching sessions to build stronger support networks for students.
However, some community leaders told WSCOTV there’s no need for additional research and that action can and should be taken already.
“We’re continuing to spend millions and millions of dollars for the same things that we’re not getting right from the beginning,” said Dr. Ricky Woods, who works with children after school.
Throughout the US, there are racial disparities in educational outcomes, which usually stems from intergenerational poverty.
In 2015, about 20% of children under the age of 18 were living in poverty, resulting in low achievement scores, having to repeat a grade, and dropping out of school, according to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES). Compared to the national average (20%), Asian and White children had lower poverty rates, while Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native children had higher rates.
For example, 36% of Black children and 30% of Hispanic children were living in poverty, compared to 12% of White and Asian children, according to NCES.
This then led to accumulating barriers to higher education, according to NCES. The new grant in Charlotte is hoping to mitigate these barriers before they become insurmountable.
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Global Citizen campaigns on the Global Goals, which call for quality education across the world. You can take action on this issue here.