September 17, 2014

Does Anyone Care About Alarming Dropout Rates Among Black Men?

The federal government should require all colleges to create early-alert systems that flag students with low test scores, missing assignments, or spotty attendance. That would be one way, according to a report released on Tuesday, to curb the alarming number of minority men who drop out of college. [SOURCE]

The report, "Advancing the Success of Boys and Men of Color in Education," is the result of brainstorming by diversity researchers at seven higher-education institutions. It is aimed at building on the momentum of My Brother's Keeper, the Obama administration's effort to improve education and career outcomes for young minority men.

Black men lag behind their peers in other races when it comes to graduating from both two- and four-year colleges, according to federal statistics that track their completion through 2009 and 2012, respectively. Only a third of black male students graduated from four-year colleges within six years, compared with 45 percent of Hispanic men, 57 percent of white men, and 64 percent of Asian men.

For two-year colleges, the percentages who received a certificate or degree or who transferred to a four-year college over six years were 32 for black, 30 for Latino, 40 for white, and 43 for Asian men. But minority men aren't the only ones who would benefit from the changes the group is proposing.

The report makes 11 policy recommendations aimed at better preparing and tracking students as they progress from pre-school through 12th grade. In addition, it offers four that specifically relate to higher education.

Read the full Black Star Journal article.

1 comment:

Carolyn Moon said...

I think there are quite a few of us who are concerned about this issue. I'm also worried about black females and devising social policy and systemic improvements for them as well. There are those who get upset when you mention the sisters and their plight as if somehow it minimizes the critical state of black boys/men. My contention is that it doesn't have to be an either or proposition. We need to care about our young ones without the constraints of gender issues.

BTW: I just love Bro. Cris Carter's perspective on excessive 'corporal punishment' or switch/limb/ironing cord/etc. beatings of our children. It's so troubling to hear those who are still espousing or excusing this practice because they lived through it and that's the way it was done for centuries. Enough!!!

I've also featured this article on my 'Round Table Issues/Opinions' sidebar.