Teacher Appreciation Week Kicks Off With New UNCF Study Finding Black Parents and Caregivers Report Better Outcomes When There are More Black Teachers at School
May 07 2024 - 10:29AM
As the country celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, UNCF (United
Negro College Fund) released a groundbreaking study that provides
invaluable insights into the perspectives of African American
parents on key issues in education and highlights the importance of
Black teachers to Black families.
The report, titled "Hear Us, Believe Us: Centering African
American Parent Voices in K-12 Education” offers a
comprehensive analysis of the experiences, challenges and
aspirations of African American parents in relation to race,
college readiness, parental engagement and more.
Among the findings, more than 90% of Black parents surveyed said
they want more opportunities to be involved in their children’s
education and more input into education laws. UNCF conducted focus
groups and implemented a national survey of 500 low- to
moderate-income Black parents. Additionally, a subset of 1,200
Black parents were surveyed in Chicago, Indianapolis, Atlanta,
Houston, Memphis and New Orleans to assess some city-level
trends.
During this Teacher Appreciation Week, UNCF seeks to underscore
the significant, positive influence that Black teachers have on
students, families and communities.
“Across several indicators in the study, Black parents reported
better experiences when their child attended schools with more
Black teachers. While the research abounds on the positive effects
of Black teachers on students, this report emphasizes the parent
voice in this important scholarship. This report
substantiates what we have known for decades: Black teachers
matter,” said Dr. Anderson.
The report, based on extensive national quantitative research
and focus groups highlights the crucial role that African American
parents play in their children's education. It underscores the
importance of understanding their unique perspectives and
incorporating them into education policies and practices.
Key findings from the report include:
- Black parents report
higher college aspirations for their child and lower instances of
school suspensions when there are more Black teachers at their
child’s school.
- For Black parents
and caregivers whose children attended schools where many or most
teachers were Black, the probability that their child received
exclusionary discipline is almost three times lower than when their
child attended schools with fewer Black teachers.
- Black parents also
felt more respected at school when their child attended schools
with more Black teachers.
- Black parents
greatly value higher education and are deeply engaged and invested
in their child’s education.
- 84% of Black parents
believe it is important for their child to attend and graduate
college and over 80% check their child’s homework and speak to
their child’s teacher on a regular basis.
- 93% of Black parents
say they want more opportunities to be involved in their child’s
education and input into education laws.
3. Black parents want to see more Black leaders in
education.
- 70% of African
American parents and caregivers believe the involvement of African
American leaders and organizations will make school improvement
efforts more effective.
4. School safety is a key concern for Black parents and
caregivers.
- 80 % of African
American parents and caregivers rank safety as the most important
factor for school selection.
“What we have known at UNCF for decades is that Black parents
are deeply engaged in the educational lives of their children, yet
far too often they are denigrated and deemed disengaged about their
children’s learning environment,” said Dr. Meredith Anderson,
director, K-12 Research, UNCF, and author of the report. “Black
parents are concerned about opportunity gaps and want better
resources for their children. They want to see more Black education
leaders and organizations in education; and they want more
opportunities to be involved and have their voices heard.
The report concludes with a series of recommendations aimed at
addressing the concerns and aspirations of African American
parents. These recommendations include a call to action:
Recommendations for the K-12 Sector
- Invest unapologetically in Black teachers. - Create more
intentional opportunities for parent involvement. - Create a
learning environment that reflects African American history and
culture. - Partner with local organizations to provide
resources and services for families. - Value and prioritize
support staff in school budgets. - Prioritize student
safety.
Recommendations for Higher Education
- Make intentional efforts to expose students and families to
college opportunities. - Create intentional pipelines with
districts and charter management organizations for increasing
educator diversity. - Ensure teacher training programs include
anti-racist, culturally relevant teaching practices. - Partner
with K-12 schools and districts to provide financial and literacy
to students and families.
UNCF is committed to utilizing the findings of this report to
drive positive change in education. Through its programs,
scholarships and advocacy efforts, UNCF will continue to work
towards a future where every African American student has access to
a quality education that prepares them for success.
Click here to access the full report.
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About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the
nation’s largest and most effective minority
education organization. To serve youth, the community and the
nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through
scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37
member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance
of minority education and college readiness. While totaling only 3%
of all colleges and universities, UNCF institutions and other
historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective,
awarding 15% of bachelor’s degrees, 5% of master’s degrees, 10% of
doctoral degrees and 19% of all STEM degrees earned by Black
students in higher education. UNCF administers more than
400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship,
mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty
development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 50,000
students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the
country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in
education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a
terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or
for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on X (formerly
Twitter) at @UNCF.
- UNCF Report on Black Parents
Roy Betts
UNCF
2407033384
monique.lenoir@uncf.org