Skip to main content

Black, Latino Parents and Families Continue to See Disparities in Education

X-posted from a national conference telebriefing by New American Media

The Leadership Conference Education Fund and Anzalone Liszt Grove Research released the second annual “New Education Majority” Poll. The poll explores how Black and Latino parents and families view the American education system’s success in educating their children.

The poll’s findings come at a critically important time for U.S. public education as states are currently developing education plans as part of their obligations under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). What’s clear about the process so far is that states are still not sufficiently responsive to the needs and desires of parents, families and communities of color.


Key findings discussed include:
  • Perceptions of racial disparities remain strong among new education majority parents and families, and in some cases, are even more pronounced than last year.
  • The lack of funding for students of color is seen as the biggest cause of racial disparities in education, and racism has risen to become the second biggest driver among both African-American and Latino parents and families.
  • Parents and family members of color whose child’s teachers are mostly White are more likely to believe schools are “not really trying” to educate students of color than those with mostly Black or mostly Latino teachers.
  • New education majority parents and families continue to place a premium on high expectations and academic rigor for their children.
“Black and Latino parents know that their children aren’t getting the best education we can provide them," said Wade Henderson, president and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

"These results should be a clarion call for policymakers who must come to terms with the fact that for any education policy to be successful, it must be responsive to the needs of the children who make up a majority of public school students in America.”

Some of the recommendations discussed include:
  • Remedying longstanding disparities in resources between schools and districts with more Black and Latino children and those with more White children.
  • Opening decision-making processes to Black and Latino families in ways that allow them to meaningfully participate so that their voices are heard, especially decisions regarding priorities and funding.
  • Removing barriers to participation and success in advanced courses for Black and Latino children.
  • Inventorying resource distribution in schools and districts, including strong teachers and rigorous courses, to ensure Black and Latino children have their fair share. Implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in a way that breaks down systemic barriers that have impeded Black and Latino children’s success and increases educational opportunity for all underserved children in the state. 
Watch the webinar discussing results of the poll. Click for the poll summary in English and Spanish.

Popular posts from this blog

Medicine Wheel for the Planet

Jennifer Grenz, PhD       Working toward ecological healing requires awareness of how Indigenous ancestral knowledge and living ways can complement Western scientific approaches to environmental restoration and protection practices. Dr. Jennifer Grenz (Nlaxa’pamux mixed ancestry) worked for more than two decades as a field researcher and practitioner for environmental nonprofit organizations, where she worked with different levels of government, including First Nations in Canada. "Medicine Wheel for the Planet" compiles Grenz’s most potent realizations about the lack of forward movement in addressing an impending ecological catastrophe.  A warming climate impacts not only human lives but also the natural balance that relies on reciprocal relationships rooted in deep connections to the land. She uses the metaphor of the four directions of the Indigenous “medicine wheel” to invite openness to Indigenous teachings, letting go of colonial narratives, merging lessons f...
Read more

Memento - Embracing the Darkness

Dennis "Dizzy" Doan Stories about overcoming and persevering through family dysfunction, poverty, and mental health challenges offer hope and the promise of better days. Dennis “Dizzy” Doan’s memoir Memento: Embracing the Darkness is one such story, with the added complexity of being raised in an immigrant Vietnamese family. Doan’s parents dealt with the mental and emotional aftermath of war, which forcibly uprooted them from their homeland. In the United States, they struggled to create a safe and stable life for their two sons. Doan shares his journey of finding himself, his craft, and eventually a successful tattoo business in Southern California despite personal strife and run-ins with the law. Doan is best known for developing the aesthetic language to combat anti-Asian hate that erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. His art series titled “Model Minority” went viral, sparking conversation about Asian American identities and harmful stereotypes. In Memento, Doan showcase...
Read more

Enlighten Me

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in Los Angeles Book Review . Author Minh Lê Standing up for oneself seems like doing the right thing. Binh did just that in the face of a racist school bully who was poking fun at his Asian heritage. But physically assaulting another student goes against school policy, and it was Binh who got in trouble. Binh shares a silent retreat with his family and younger siblings. Along with other children, he learns about stories from the previous lives of the Buddha. The stories are interesting, but for Binh, it is difficult to sit still and clear his mind when he misses his Gameboy. While he struggles with silence, he learns important lessons about friendship, community, and being present. In the graphic novel "Enlighten Me," award-winning author Minh Lê and bestselling illustrator Chan Chau tell the story of a boy who gains a better understanding of himself as he works on quieting the mind and reflecting on dharma. Lê and Ch...
Read more