Understanding Social Justice: Improving the Academic Achievement of African American Students

Written by Ashworth, N. (April 2011). District and Site-based Leadership; Diversity and Equity

Summary

NCLB seeks to level the playing field by narrowing class and racial gaps in school performance by establishing common expectations. No Child Left Behind Act (2001) increases the standards of accountability for states and schools, thus requiring educational leaders to rethink current school strategies. Holding individual schools accountable for the academic achievement of traditionally under-served groups of children, such as low-income students, students with disabilities, and students of major racial and ethnic subgroups is one of the key components of the legislation. As the demands of high-stakes accountability continue to mount on public school administrators, a better understanding of these challenges must be examined. Particularly, schools must now approach the achievement gap between white and African American students with deliberate resolve, setting high expectations and establishing measurable goals to improve individual outcomes.