ACS & The Ohio 8 Coalition Working to Close the Achievement Gap

ACS, through its work with The Ohio 8 Coalition, strives to support students from all backgrounds in an effort to level the playing field and help all students graduate high school, start a career, and make positive life choices. The Ohio 8 Coalition, with the support of ACS, works to impact K-12 policy at the state level to close the achievement gap and create greater opportunities for students to succeed in school and in life, regardless of race.

A recent Brookings article shows the significance of ACS’ work in helping to close the achievement gap.

The article “Following the success sequence? Success is more likely if you’re white” ultimately concludes that, “black Americans who meet traditional markers on the pathway to the American Dream are still less likely to get there than white Americans.”

The authors use researchers’ Isabel Sawhill and Ron Haskins argument that the likelihood of economic success conditional upon achieving the “success sequence”, a series of the following three middle class “norms”:

  • Graduate from high school;
  • Maintain a full-time job or have a partner who does;
  • Have children while married and after the age of 21.

Research shows that, even when black Americans follow the success sequence their economic prospects are worse than whites. Data shows about 73% of white Americans who follow the sequence will find themselves with income above 300% of the federal poverty line while only 59% of black Americans fare equally well. The article focuses on national data and the authors suggest that there is likely to be significant variation between geographic areas, particularly in cities.

For more information about ACS’ work with The Ohio 8 Coalition, please contact info@advocacyandcommunication.org.

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