A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce finds Michigan is among the worst states when it comes to academic outcomes of black students compared to their white peers. We talk to MSU Associate Professor Dorinda Carter Andrewsabout what’s contributing to Michigan’s achievement gap and what can be done about it.
Five percent. That’s how many African American students in Michigan were rated as proficient in 8th grade math this year. The latest data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows students of color in the state are falling drastically behind their white peers in every single subject. And while the racial achievement gap is a problem across the country, Michigan consistently ranks as one of the worst states for African American students.
Current State talks about what’s behind this troubling disparity in Michigan schools with Dorinda Carter Andrews. She’s an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University whose research focuses on race and equity in education.