Despite minorities making significant progress in higher education over the last 50 years, there is still a large achievement gap between minorities, specifically Blacks and Hispanics, and Whites. How do we close this gap? Also, what does it mean to close the gap in education? To answer this question, we must first understand what needs to be measured. Is it high school and/or college dropout rates? Is it high school or college graduation rates? Is it the gap in standardized tests scores? Last, and perhaps more to the point, who is being measured? Is the comparison between the rich and the poor, black and white, males and females? Educators have conflicting views concerning this matter.
Black and Hispanic high school students, across the United States, drop out of school much more frequently than Asians or Whites. Despite recent improvements, this discouraging trend persists. More troubling perhaps, of those students who attend college, Blacks and Hispanics are only half as likely to graduate from college as compared to Whites. Furthermore, many of the minorities who graduate taken longer than 4 years to obtain a college degree. Therefore, the gap must be addressed very early in the educational process to ensure positive long term effects.
Recent studies have shown that are three crucial factors required to improve the college enrollment and eventually graduation rates among Blacks and Hispanics:
First, college must become an expectation not an option so that Blacks and Hispanics have higher educational aspirations, leading them to greater achievement. Intervention must start as early as elementary school so that the students fully understand the connection between college and life achievement and ultimately happiness. These youth must understand that few of them will become professional athletes or rappers. However, they can become, for example, a lawyer and manage athletes or rappers. Let them know that education is the closest thing that they can get to a guarantee in life.
Strong academic preparation: A clear policy lever is to make required high-school courses more rigorous. Low-income and ethnic minority students are least likely to enroll in a college-preparatory curriculum, so this effort should address the courses that all student must take.
Money or financial support is the final piece of the puzzle. Some minorities take themselves out of the college education because they “feel” that they cannot overcome the money obstacle. There are billions of dollars available as both scholarships and financial aid based on need and/or merit. Parents, students, faculty and guidance counselors must all work together to access these funds so that every child can realize his/her dream of attending college.
Education is the great equalizer. Education is truly the only sure exit strategy out of poverty. Education creates a competent workforce and populous that lifts our society to new heights. Education is important because it is a tool to eliminate illiteracy, poverty, racism and crime. Education is important because it offers an impetus to fight stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Closing the gap is everyone’s responsibility because it creates a higher standard for the society as a whole.
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