Input to Educational Decision-Makers: A Missing Perspective

Abstract

Traditional examinations of Black education can be categorized under several rubrics: pathological, deficit orientation, social deprivation, education deprivation, and so on. Research on Black education that deviates from the above mentioned orientations is sparse. Scientific accounts of successful academic patterns in Black schools are minimal and/or inadequate in the strict empirical research tradition., Based on the current research literature, successful academic achievement patterns in Black educational settings are often viewed as anomalies. Therefore, the existing void in research on Black education should be addressed for the following reasons: (1) Research on quality education in Black schools is minimal at best. (2) The inclusive sub-standard stereotype of Black educational institutions should be reassessed. (3) Research on quality education in Black schools has potential value for the desegregation process. (4) Legal and demographic trends clearly indicate the possible continued presence of predominantly Black schools. The purpose of this paper, then, is to discuss a new area of inquiry, i.e., research that examines quality education2 in contemporary elementary and secondary Black schools. In this discussion, each of the above points will be touched upon.