Mathematics Performance Among African Americans in Los Angeles

This research paper explores mathematics performance among African American students in Los Angeles. It begins by looking at the history of education for African Americans in the United States, how this has affected mathematics learning and performance, and how this relates to current achievement levels in the LA area. The paper then looks at the existing educational infrastructure for African American student matriculation within LA Unified School District (LAUSD), highlighting challenges that exist within those systems. This research also examines best practices from successful programs already implemented in LAUSD schools, as well as potential strategies to address areas of need. Finally, an extensive review of relevant literature is conducted to explore what implications these findings may have on improving mathematics performance among African American students.

Mathematics performance among African American students in Los Angeles is an area of great concern. Despite significant improvements over the past few decades, there remains a large achievement gap between African American and white students in the city. Data indicates that fewer than half of all African American students are meeting or exceeding grade-level mathematics standards (California Department of Education, 2017). Moreover, disparities exist between how well African Americans perform compared to other ethnic/racial groups at various grade levels. It is clear that this trend must be addressed if greater equity and access to educational opportunities are to become realities for many LAUSD families.

To address challenges related to math performance among African American students in Los Angeles, it is essential to understand the current state of education for this population within LAUSD. This includes both the opportunities and challenges that exist within the current system. For example, LAUSD students are not required to take Algebra in 8th grade, which has been shown to have a negative impact on overall mathematics performance (Randolph & Oakes, 2010). Moreover, many schools lack adequate resources or qualified teachers to provide African American students with the support they need to succeed (Kang & Kumar, 2015).

Additionally, it is important to understand the best practices employed by successful programs in LAUSD schools that focus on improving math performance among African American students. These include such strategies as providing additional academic supports for at-risk learners, increasing access and availability of high-level mathematics courses, and creating more equitable learning environments (MacDonald, 2016). Moreover, such programs have been shown to positively impact academic outcomes for African American students by improving their confidence in mathematics and increasing engagement with the subject (Oakes & Rogers, 2011).

Finally, it is essential to review existing literature on this topic in order to draw implications from our findings. This may involve further exploration into how educational policies or practices can be altered to improve mathematics performance among African Americans in the LA area. Additionally, this research could provide significant information regarding effective strategies that may be implemented across school districts nationwide.