Educating Urban African American Children Placed At Risk: A Comparison of Two Types of Catholic Middle Schools

L Mickey Fenzel,Janine Domingues

doi:10.15365/joce.1301032013

Abstract

Although the number of urban Catholic schools has declined in recent years, Nativity model middle schools, first developed by the Jesuits over 35 years ago, have appeared throughout the nation to address the need for effective alternative education for urban children placed at risk. The present study compares the effectiveness of two types of high-poverty Catholic schools for 322 African American middle school students. Result show that Nativity schools are more successful than traditional Catholic schools in effecting student gains in standardized test score performance. Results also suggest that features such as small school and class size, small student-teacher ratios, and an extended academic day contribute to these gains. The quality of the school and classroom environment, as perceived by students, that contributed to the amount of engaged learning time also may have contributed to their stronger academic performance. Implications for urban schooling for African American middle school children placed at risk are discussed.

Highlights

The number of urban Catholic schools has declined in recent years, Nativity model middle schools, first developed by the Jesuits over 35 years ago, have appeared throughout the nation to address the need for effective alternative education for urban children placed at risk
The present study examines the experience of urban African American children placed at risk in two types of urban Catholic middle school programs: small Nativity middle schools, the vast majority of which are operated by Catholic religious communities, and more traditional diocesan Catholic schools with middle school programs housed within a larger Pre-K through Grade 8 school
It declared that a serious mismatch existed between middle school programs and the developmental needs of their students and that risks faced by young adolescents are greater for those who are economically poor and members of minority groups, in part because these students generally attend the weakest schools

Summary

Introduction

Research by Towns et al (2001) showed that effective urban schools possess common factors, such as strong administrative leadership; high expectations for achievement; careful monitoring of student progress; consistent discipline and order; an emphasis on skill development, homework, and teamwork; and high levels of parental involvement. Effective principals encourage their faculty and maintain positive personal relationships with students. These characteristics are consistent with the research literature on effective middle schools (e.g., Lipsitz, 1984; Norton & Lewis, 2000)

Methods

Results

Conclusion