Equity in Education: Transforming Urban Middle Schools for Black Students Success

Background: Black student achievement is not a new issue in our nation. There is a vast amount of research that shows there is an achievement gap for Black students compared to their peers. While the achievement gap reflects the educational disparities among student groups, it is closely linked to an opportunity gap which refers to unequal access to economic and social resources creating barriers to academic success. The concern for federal and state lawmakers should be first addressing the opportunity gap which exists in society to aid in closing the achievement gap in our nation's schools through effective research-based interventions. Purpose: The goal of this study were (a) to identify the extent to which the achievement gap is an issue for Black students in a large, urban school district in Texas, (b) to examine the differences in outcomes across the various types of middle schools in this district, by magnet program or not, Title I status or not, and geographic area of district (c) to examine the interaction of campus demographics of race/ethnicity and free and reduced meals (FARM) on the achievement gap. Method: This quantitative study used descriptive and causal comparative design elements to determine the difference in outcomes for Black students compared to their peers, in this large, urban school district in Texas. Archival data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and district website including campus level performance data for middle schools, Magnet campuses, Title Campuses, area of district, ethnicity, and free and reduced priced meals. The first analysis examined the percentage of students who Met the standard on the Reading and Science 2022 STAAR in middle school campuses. The second analysis explored the difference, if any, across the types of middle schools by middle school status of Magnet or not, Title I or not, and area of the district. The third analysis examined the interaction of race/ethnicity and FARM on the 2022 STAAR Reading and Science exam performance. Results: The analyses revealed a persistent achievement gap within this large, urban Texas district. Middle school “Meets” performance averages were concentrated at the lower end of the scale. Moreover, non-Title I campuses demonstrated substantially higher outcomes than Title I campuses, and Magnet campuses consistently outperformed non-Magnet campuses. Conclusion: This study supported the research that there is more than just an achievement gap that Black students are faced with but also an opportunity gap. It is evident systemic change is needed that employs successful interventions for Black students as provided. The action plan focused on professional learning through Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, grounded in research on improving outcomes for Black students.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Professional Leadership, Education

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Nnate, Jasmine Eyim-Ejim 1988-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hawkins, Jacqueline

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Aubrey-Davis, Mandele'
• Jordan, Erica
• Dulas, Heather

• Professional learning community
• Collective efficacy
• Black students
• Opportunity gap
• Equity
• Highly effective teachers
• Data-driven instruction
• Culturally relevant pedagogy
• School culture

Language dc:language.iso

English

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10657/20887

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/20887