Dawn X. Henderson: Bridging achievement gaps

I have been doing research on interventions for suspended adolescents in North Carolina for the past four years and am well aware of the disparities that exist in our public education system.

The March 25 Under the Dome article “Growing NC achievement gap highlighted” presented a story we’ve heard for several decades, specifically for those most disenfranchised in public education – African-American, Hispanic and American Indian males.

In North Carolina, African-Americans and Hispanics are less likely to be performing at grade level. American Indian boys have little to no representation in AIG programs across North Carolina.

Across all three ethnic groups, males are disproportionately suspended and less likely to complete advance courses. Males of color have lower four-year graduation rates from high school than females and, more frequently, disappear from school completely.

To reduce the achievement gap, to repair the disparate conditions for males of color, school systems cannot do it alone. This work extends beyond hiring qualified teachers and pouring resources into low-performing schools. This work requires collaboration across community agencies and localized universities to build the capacity of families and communities in order to change the story and shift the educational outcomes of males of color.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Dawn X. Henderson: Bridging achievement gaps."