The Black Star Project is committed to improving the quality of life in Black and Latino communities in Chicago and nationwide by eliminating the racial academic achievement gap. This gap is evidenced by discrepancies in statistics such standardized test scores, high school graduation rates, college success rates between Black and Latino students and their White peers. Although the racial academic achievement gap refers to a crucial issue in today’s education sector, the gap is by no means a concern exclusive to education. Receiving a quality education greatly increases one’s ability to get a job, insure their financial future and plan for the success of future generations. In many ways, education is the key to improving the quality of life in low-income Black and Latino communities. As a form of capital, education passes from parent to child; if it not saved, nurtured and grown, it will die. Therefore, by giving communities the skills, information and resources to receive a quality education and help others to see the value in doing so, we can ensure the quality of life for future generations. Additionally, in a more globalized economy, measuring success through a comparison with other American students is no longer sufficient. We have begun tracking academic gaps between American students and others from around the world. We will not stop until all American students, be they Black, Asian, White, Latino, or Native American, are competing on par with their peers in Hong Kong, Finland, India, China, or Germany.
The Black Star Project works to promote awareness and understanding of the racial academic achievement gap by synthesizing and disseminating information about the gap. The following are key documents that we have compiled to do just this:
Racial (and Global) Academic Achievement Fact Sheet - Updated January 2009
Comparison of the number of Black Males in College and in Prison in Illinois
Without a High School Diploma - and Suggested Solutions
Deepening Plight of Black Males in America
Finally, we would like to acknowledge that statistics, especially from Standardized Tests, can be misleading. We therefore encourage you to find out for yourself. Visit schools, talk to parents, teachers, administrators and, most importantly, talk to students about their experiences at school, what they've learned recently, and what they aspire to be when they grown up. Only then will you fully understand the problem, and only then will you be part of the solution!
