Gender Differences in the Educational Expectations of African American Youth.
Gender Differences in the Educational Expectations of African American Youth.
Despite considerable gains in the African American population over the past 30 years, males have made less progress than females, particularly with respect to higher education. At Excel High School, gender education achievement gaps exist amongst all ethnicities, however the gap between girls and boys widens significantly when looking particularly at African American students. According to the 2008-2009 data information for Excel High School (CDE 2009), it is calculated that the graduation rate is around 47.3% and that the 4-year dropout rate is around 44.4%. The data information showed that Excel High School is composed of 85.9% African American students and 1.0% White students. In 2008-2009 there were a total of 35 graduates at Excel High School, 29 of them where African American. Of the 29 African Americans that graduated 23 of them were female and only 6 were male. Thus 79.3% of African American graduates at Excel High school were female. Research shows that African Americans across California have the highest high school drop out rate with 39.6% as well as the lowest graduation rate of 59.6%. There is increasing divergence in the academic outcomes of African American males and females. By most accounts, males are falling behind their female peers educationally as African American females are graduating from high schools at higher rates and are going on to college and graduate school in greater numbers. My research question asks; “What is/are the cause(s) for the significant difference in graduation rates between African American woman and men?” It is important that we observe schools like Excel High in order to gain a better understanding of what the significant factor(s) are that contribute(s) to the separation between African American females and males. I will be analyzing research that pertains to this subject and using it to enhance my observations at Excel High School.
Despite considerable gains in the African American population over the past 30 years, males have made less progress than females, particularly with respect to higher education. At Excel High School, gender education achievement gaps exist amongst all ethnicities, however the gap between girls and boys widens significantly when looking particularly at African American students. According to the 2008-2009 data information for Excel High School (CDE 2009), it is calculated that the graduation rate is around 47.3% and that the 4-year dropout rate is around 44.4%. The data information showed that Excel High School is composed of 85.9% African American students and 1.0% White students. In 2008-2009 there were a total of 35 graduates at Excel High School, 29 of them where African American. Of the 29 African Americans that graduated 23 of them were female and only 6 were male. Thus 79.3% of African American graduates at Excel High school were female. Research shows that African Americans across California have the highest high school drop out rate with 39.6% as well as the lowest graduation rate of 59.6%. There is increasing divergence in the academic outcomes of African American males and females. By most accounts, males are falling behind their female peers educationally as African American females are graduating from high schools at higher rates and are going on to college and graduate school in greater numbers. My research question asks; “What is/are the cause(s) for the significant difference in graduation rates between African American woman and men?” It is important that we observe schools like Excel High in order to gain a better understanding of what the significant factor(s) are that contribute(s) to the separation between African American females and males. I will be analyzing research that pertains to this subject and using it to enhance my observations at Excel High School.
Cited: Cohen, Cathy. 2000. "Educational Attainment and Sex Differentials in African American Communities." American Behavioral Scientist, vol Saunders, Jeanne and Larry Davis. 2004. "Gender Differences in Self-Perceptions and Academic Outcomes: A Study of African American High School Students." Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol Wood, Dana. 2007. "Gender Differences in the Educational Expectations of Urban, Low-Income African American Youth: The Role of Parents and the