Raw Story
Black parents believe their kids are not receiving an adequate education in public schools. And, racial disparities among African-American and white students is a primary concern for Black parents.
A new survey by The Leadership Conference Education Fund polled 400 parents and families of Black students. It found the following:
- 83 percent of Black parents say schools in their community do not receive enough education funding compared to white schools.
- 53 percent of parents polled said they do not believe the country is doing a good enough job in educating their children.
- 66 percent of parents say education quality for Black children is lacking compared to white children.
Black parents would like to see many improvements to their students’ education. Most said they would like to see higher quality teachers in public schools. Parents also believe their children are not being pushed enough in the classroom. Ninety percent of African-Americans say students don’t work as hard as they should.
The poll’s purpose is to gauge Black parent’s feelings on education to make improvements. It will enable families and policymakers to make better choices about education for Black students. A new federal education law — the Every Student Succeeds Act — puts more of those decisions in the hands of states and local school districts. Now, states can create their own accountability systems. Those systems will make districts responsible for educating all subgroups of students, which includes Black students. Districts are also responsible for closing achievement gaps and improving schools.
The National Education Association says closing the achievement gap is a critical issue in Black schools. As a solution, the NEA says high, obtainable goals should be set for students. Policies and laws supporting public schools should be enacted to reach these goals. Collaboration among community leaders, parents and the schools is necessary for success.
Matt Hogan, a partner with Anzalone Liszt Grove Research, tells U.S. News and World Report, the “sense of racial inequity creates a good deal of resentment among African-Americans in particular.” He added that most Black parents “say schools are not doing a good job nationally of preparing Black children for the future.”
Approximately 90 percent of parents surveyed said they wanted their students to have enough preparation for college.
