The Academic Achievement Gap: Learning From Schools That Bridge the Academic Achievement Gap Between African American Students and Caucasian American Students

The academic achievement gap has been observed in the United States since the late 1960s. Despite the best efforts of lawmakers and educators, African American students continue to achieve lower academically than their Caucasian American peers. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate three schools that were successful at reducing the achievement gap between the African American students and Caucasian American students at their school in the area of mathematics and provide suggestions for other schools. Mathematics teachers at the selected schools were asked about their awareness of the factors that contributed to the achievement gap between African American and Caucasian American students and the strategies used on their campus to address the disparity. The study participants were also asked to share specific techniques that they used in their class to provide greater equity for all their students. The findings indicated that teachers from the selected schools were aware of many of the factors that contribute to the achievement gap, and they actively utilized research-based measures to mitigate the difference in achievement between their student groups. Communicating high expectations to all students, setting and modifying goals with students, and making sure parents understood how to partner with the school are just a few of the strategies used by the schools in this study to mitigate the achievement gap between African American and Caucasian American students. Sharing the strategies proven to be successful in reducing the achievement gap could result in more equitable learning environments at other schools.