In Focus: African American Children
- In 2012, there were more than 10.2 million non-Hispanic black children under age 18 living in the United States—14% of the U.S. child population.[1]
- Approximately 40% of non-Hispanic black children under age 18 live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level.
- In 2009–10, 34% of non-Hispanic black high school students were not graduating on time.
Key Strategies for Inclusion
- Be responsive to family needs. Schedule PTA meetings to accommodate parent schedules, transportation concerns, and child care needs.
- Publicize school registration and annual enrollment. Almost 600,000 African American children ages 3–4 (52%) did not attend preschool in 2011–2013.
- Engage parents in children’s educational progress. Encourage communication with school staff and involvement in programs like the PTA Family Reading Experience or Academic Parent-Teacher Teams.
- Help families make education a priority. Educate families about the value of learning, advantages of staying in school, and opportunities that open with a high school diploma.
- Increase involvement of African American men. Create opportunities for male engagement and alliances with influential African American men in the local community as role models and mentors for youth.
- Celebrate African American history. Promote education about figures, events and developments beyond those included in customary popular histories.
- Create school and community partnerships and forums. Bring together school staff, local agencies and community resources to address the challenges African American children face.
- Advocate for African American children and families. Share information and promote policies about civil rights, school discipline and respect, children’s health and safety, and special needs assistance.
PTA Resources
Research
Other Resources
[1] Statistics are from KIDS COUNT Data Center of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.