Interventions for African American Males

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Interventions for African American Males

• April 23, 2009
• Presented by Joyce Harris, Director, Equity
  Program
• Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
• Center for Classroom Teaching and Learning
• 101 S.W. Main, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon
  97204-3297

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African American Males

• Disproportionately represented in
• special education
• Harsher suspension and expulsion rates
• Lower academic achievement
• Higher dropout rates
• Lower graduation rates

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School, Parent/Family, Community Partnerships

• Complementary
• Comprehensive
• Consistent

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Culturally responsiveness a critical
intervention strategy

• Culturally responsive education recognizes,
  respects, and uses students identities and
  backgrounds as meaningful sources for creating
  optimal learning environments (Nieto, n.d.).
• Source Culturally Responsive Practices for
  Student Success (2005) NWREL

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Culturally responsive approaches

• Address issues of educational inequity,
  institutional bias, and discrimination.
• Takes cultural context into account in order to
  teach the whole child (Gay, 2000).
• Source Culturally Responsive Practices for
  Student Success (2005) NWREL

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What does the research say?

• Use culturally responsive strategies tailored to
  specific populations and needs.
• Build trust and partnerships with parents,
  families, and communities, especially with those
  marginalized by schools in the past.
• Identify and utilize local resources in creative
  ways.
• Source Culturally Responsive Practices for
  Student Success (2005) NWREL

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Common characteristics of community based
interventions

• Active parent/family engagement
• Collaborative partnerships among community
  organizations
• Strong mentoring components
• Use of rituals to affirm students and reinforce
  high expectations and goals
• Spiritual components, values
• Culturally responsive

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Types of community based interventions

• Black male academies
• Rites of passage programs
• Mentoring Programs
• Afterschool

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Black Male Academies

• Common Characteristics
• Founded/led by African American Men
• Mentoring
• Tutoring
• Out of school supports
• Culture
• Partnerships with local school districts

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Eagle Academy for Young Men

• Founded by The One Hundred Black Men, Inc., 2004
  in partnership with New York City Public Schools
• Comprehensive college preparatory
• Strong mentor accountability program
• College Knowledge 101, mandatory class
• Study Abroad program

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Urban Prep We Believe

• Opened in 2006 as a charter academy, Illinois
• 296 students, 75 from single parent homes
• Less than 7 came to school reading at or above
  grade level
• 84 free/reduced lunch
• School day is 40 longer
• Study UP! Summer Program

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Results

• Daily attendance rate is 93 (District 84,
  Neighborhood 75)
• 79 of freshmen on track to graduate
• (District 47, Neighborhood 34)
• 87 participation rate in extra-curricular
  activities (District 71, Neighborhood 67)

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Rites of Passage Programs

• Culturally based
• Strong spirituality component
• Rituals
• Program is presented in stages
• Mentors

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Bridge Builders Rites of Passage Program

• Founded in 1996, African American males, grades
  9-12, Portland, OR
• Each class supported by several program advisors
• Pillars of the Program Scholarship,
• Service, Entrepreneurship, Community
• Building
• Partnership with 2 universities provides
  facilities, tutors, and other support

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Bridge Builder Strategies for Success

• Give candidates and parents tools to succeed
  academically.
• Guide students and parents through the college
  application process
• Take participants on college and heritage tours
• Match candidates with academic tutors
• Establish peer tutoring groups
• Improve teacher, parent and student relationships
  
• Provide sizeable college scholarships for
  initiates
• Expose the participants to college life

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Minority Achievement Committee (MAC) Scholars
Program

• High achieving African American students in Ohio
  HS identified success factors and asked to work
  with low achieving students
• Program precepts respect, pride, honesty,
  sensitivity, confidence
• Students work with their 9th -12th grade peers

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Examples of MAC Student Led Topics

• Developing good study habits, self discipline
• Confronting behavior/discipline issues
• Setting goals
• Where and how to get help in school
• How to approach teachers
• Roadblocks to school achievement

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Next Generation of Leaders

• Founded by African American male, teacher, public
  high school based Boys Academy, Oregon
• Created African American history game Journey to
  Freedom to improve students reading and writing
  skills
• Students play the game with middle school
  students weekly in the after school program
• Developed partnerships with other organizations
  to host a literacy event each night during Turn
  off the TV week

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Hiatus Project

• In-school suspension program, high school,
  Maryland
• Continuous academic instruction while addressing
  social and behavioral issues
• Professional development provided to teachers on
  effective strategies to use in the pre-referral
  stage
• Strong administrative support

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Results

• Reduction in referrals of students to special
  education
• Focus is on rewarding productive behaviors and
  achievements
• Re-entry into the school environment with
  improved behavior management skills.

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Walker Academy

• Year round program for 5th-6th grade
• African American boys, Virginia
• Students required to attend schools afterschool
  Scholars Tutoring Program three days/week.
• Field trips, summer program, service projects

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Results

• Scholars Program continues through middle and
  high school.
• Students engaged in academic focused activities
  after school.

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A Place for Everyone-No Excuses

• Rural, Elementary, Delaware
• African American 25, total enrollment 496
• Partners churches, service groups, businesses,
  PTO
• Academic mentoring program, over 150 volunteer
  mentors
• Donations money, clothing, school supplies

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Results

• Rated Superior School 2003-2006 by State DOE
• 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
• 2005 Dispelling the Myth Award, Education Trust
• 2004 National Title I School
• 2006 School of Distinction (Intel and Scholastic)
• School rating Superior, Above Target

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Teamwork Englewood

• African American Male Initiative to Educate,
• Organize, Mobilize, Take Action, Illinois
• 10-16 year old boys
• In school tutoring, mentoring
• Out of school recreation, physical, cultural
  activities
• Four community partners, each supporting 25 boys
• Funded by United Way
• Result Constructive engagement to keep youth
  away from gangs and drugs

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Parent/Family Engagement

• Develop parent/family capacity to advocate for
  their children
• Communicate frequently
• Include parents/family in all decisions
• Accommodate parents need for non-traditional
  meeting times
• Build trusting relations
• Leverage other support as needed
• Inform parents of resources of national African
  American organizations

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• Consult with African American organizations in
  developing internal and external strategies
• Include their perspectives and utilize them as
  resources for schools, parents/families, and
  community

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National Association for the Education of African
American Children with Learning Disabilities

• Free online parent training Beginning Advocacy
  in the African American Community
• Publishes One Child at a Time A Parent Handbook
  and Resource Directory for African American
  Families with Children Who Learn Differently
• Quarterly electronic newsletter Focus

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National Council on Educating Black Children

• Started the Black Male Initiative in 2007 to
  improve
• academic performance by addressing
• Low graduation rates
• Poor academics
• Disproportionality in special education
  placements
• High rates of suspensions and expulsion, and 
• Recruitment and retention of black male teachers
  in elementary schools.

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Results

• State Black Male Action Plans developed in some
  states and are being implemented by state groups.
• Each plan includes Problems or challenges,
  Action items or campaigns, Timeline, Progress,
  Person responsible.
• Developed Parent University Curriculum
• Published National Blueprint for Action Guide

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Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color
(COSEBOC)

• Goals
• Develop a collaborative network of schools that
  nurture success in boys of color. 
• Committed to high standards, exemplary
  instruction, and the building of coalitions
  within and outside the community. 
• Contribute to the body of research on achievement
  in Black and Latino boys. 
• Long-term outcome will be boys of color who are
  fully equipped to achieve academically, socially
  and emotionally.