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theses

Recent research highlights the academic gaps between Black students and White students. Much of the current research focuses on the gap between poor urban schools and more affluent suburban schools. The aim of the present research was to investigate the differential outcomes of Black and White students at a diverse middle class suburban high school. This research sought to understand why students with access to the same resources have differential outcomes. More precisely, this research examined the relationships of school climate, academic self-concept, and motivation. Furthermore, this study investigated how the leveling practices were racialized and how this related to classroom climate, academic self-concept, and motivation. To answer these questions ninth grade students were observed, surveyed and interviewed. Results provided evidence that racialized ability grouping has negative effects on Black students’ academic self-concept and increases performance avoidance motivation. Black students viewed the racial climate of their high school more negatively than white students. However, there were no differences between Black and White students’ performance approach motivations. However, there were differences for classroom climate. Many low level classrooms were poorly-managed and this resulted in a negative classroom climate and low student motivation. When a teacher managed the classroom well, there were no differences in student behavior or motivation regardless of level. This case study found that Black students experienced differential treatment at school. This differential treatment resulted in a racial achievement gap. The discrimination faced by Black students at PHS was systemic and institutional. School policies such as leveling were racialized and Black students faced several barriers when trying to gain access to the upper level. A major barrier was the negative perception of black students as academically and behaviorally inferior to White students. White students were overwhelmingly viewed as better students than Black students. Although Black parents in the district were well educated and had high income levels the Black students, especially lower level students, were viewed as coming from low income or single parent households. These finding add to the discourse on racial stereotypes of Black students and how these stereotypes perpetuate the racial achievement gap.

ETD_6482

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Joyvin Benton

doi:10.7282/T33J3FTT

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.