Black history knowledge is an important aspect of development for Black youth that has been linked to learning outcomes and to navigating race-based experiences. In the current study, Black history knowledge was measured in a sample of Black youth (ages 14-21). Relationships among Black history knowledge, conceptions of identity, (i.e., racial…

National studies indicate that units and level of rigor in mathematics coursework are the strongest predictors of college enrollment. However, for young Black women there are often structural barriers impeding access to rigorous mathematics coursework, potentially impinging on postsecondary enrollment. In the present study the authors analyze the…

Using data from a multi-year study of eleven low-performing high schools, Cooper and Davis examine the academic aspirations and motivations of urban African American high school students in California. Situating their discussion within the context of neoliberalism and its manifestation in urban school reform and community cohesion, the authors…

The current study relies on in-depth interviews with twenty Black males who graduated from Du Bois Academy (pseudonym), an urban, all-boys public charter secondary school and explores their educational perceptions and experiences. In particular, the author examines the interplay between students' in-school experiences and navigating a…

The purpose of this study was to identify the social supports in the lives of African American adolescents that influence resilient academic outcomes. The authors examined 206 African American students to identify the role of parental involvement as a buffer in the relation between low school support and high academic expectations. Results…

Using a nationally representative sample from two waves of the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS), this research examines the aspiration-attainment gap that exists for Black students (N = 823). This gap is a measure of the difference between the educational level students said they aspired to reach reported in 1988 when attending 8th…

The purpose of this article was to examine factors within the school context that facilitates educational resilience among African American high school students. The authors expected academic self-esteem to be positively associated with future expectations (academic and general). They expected perceptions of school-based social support to have…

A growing number of Black teens are becoming religiously involved. This undoubtedly intersects with another trend in Black communities, the changing structure of the Black family. Research has shown that school-related dialogue between parent and child is an important factor in educational outcomes. This study set out to determine if there might…

Data from 2008 Monitoring the Future were used to test how well religious, family, and cultural social capital influenced 8th and 10th grade student aspirations, future plans, and prior academic experience. This study focused only on a sample of 4,273 African American students. Results indicated a strong association between family social capital…