Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward ...

1 Ivory A. Toldson, breaking | barriers 2 Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward Academic Success for School-age African American Males Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. breaking | barriers 2: Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward Academic Success for School-age African American Males Ivory A. Toldson, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 2011 Acknowledgments: This report was produced by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CPAR), with funding from the Open Society Institute s Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA). CPAR identifies, analyzes, and disseminates policy-oriented information critical to advancing the African-American community Toward economic independence, education, and health equity.

2 The author of this report gratefully acknowledges the leadership responsible for supervising the production of this report: Dr. Elsie Scott, president and ceo of CBCF; Dr. Marjorie Innocent, senior director of Research and Programs; and Shawn Dove, campaign manager for CBMA. On behalf of CBCF, the author of this report also gratefully acknowledges the material contributions of the scholars who contributed to the research presented in this report: Dr. Ronald Braithwaite, professor, Morehouse School of Medicine; Dr. Rhonda Conerly, research associate professor, Morehouse School of Medicine; Brianna Lemmons, student at Howard University, Eder Lemus, student at Howard University; Ryan Sutton, student at Howard University; and Dr.

3 Kamilah M. Woodson, assistant professor of counseling psychology at Howard University. Advanced reviewers include Dr. Leon D. Caldwell, president, Think Tank for African American Progress; David Johns, senior educational advisor; Dr. Delila Owens, assistant professor, Wayne State University; Dr. James L. Moore III, director, Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male; and Marshella C. Toldson, Esq. CBCF expresses gratitude to the following organizations for using the breaking barriers report to advance academic success among black males: 2025 Campaign for Black Men and Boys; Afterthoughts, Blogtalk Radio; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

4 , American Association of School Administrators (AASA); American Psychological Association (APA); An American Promise Documentary Project; Association of Black Psychologists; Beyond the Bricks Project; Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO); Center for Neighborhood Enterprises; Chicago Area Project; Clayton County Public Schools; Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC); Concerned Black Men, Washington, DC; Counseling & Treating People of Colour Conference; Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. EMBODI Program; Diverse Issues In Higher Education; Educational Equity Consultants, St. Louis, MO; Emerging Scholars Interdisciplinary Network; Empower Magazine; Harvard University School of Public Policy, Black Policy Conference; Howard University School of Education; IMPACT, Washington, DC; Inside the School, Magna Publications; Institute for the Study of the African American Child (ISAAC); Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR); Journal of Negro Education; Community Family Life, Chicago, IL; National African American Drug Policy Coalition (NAADPC); National Coalition of Single-Sex Public Schools (NCSSPS); National Council on Educating Black Children (NCEBC).

5 National Educational Association (NEA); National Parental Information Resource Center (PIRC); National Urban League (NUL); Office of Representative Danny K. Davis of Illinois; Office of Representative Donna M. Christensen of the Virgin Islands; Old Dominion University, Darden College of Education; Open Society Institute, Campaign for Black Male Achievement; Phi Delta Kappa Chapter 1144, Fairfax, VA; Pine Forest High School, Pensacola, FL; Quality Education for Minorities (QEM); Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Series, Little Rock, AR; ScholarCentric; Scholars' Chair; Shenan Chronicles BlogTalk Radio; St. Paul Youth Services; The After School Institute (TASI), Baltimore, MD; The Al Sharpton Show on XM Satellite Radio; The Michael Eric Dyson Show; The Washington Teacher Blog; Think Tank for African American Progress; Urban Issues Breakfast Forum of Greater Los Angeles; and Urban Leadership Institute, Baltimore, MD.

6 Recommended Citation: Toldson, I. A. (2011). breaking barriers 2: Plotting the Path Away from Juvenile Detention and Toward Academic Success for School-age African American males. Washington, : Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. Cover and page layout and design by Ivory A. Toldson, Uncaptioned images of young black males were taken by Kea Taylor at the Avoice Voting Rights Student Workshop at the 2010 Annual Legislative Conference. Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., Center for Policy Analysis and Research, 1720 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, 20036 | P: (202) 263-2800, F: (202) 775-0773 This report was made possible by funds from the Open Society Institute Campaign for Black Male Achievement and is available for download at Ivory A.

7 Toldson, 1 TTAABBLLEE OOFF CCOONNTTEENNTTSS TABLE OF CONTENTS .. 1 FORWARD .. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .. 4 BACKGROUND .. 10 REDUCING SUSPENSIONS AND DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS .. 14 RELEVANT LITERATURE .. 14 METHOD .. 16 STATISTICAL FINDINGS .. 19 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .. 24 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE .. 26 PREVENTING DELINQUENCY .. 28 RELEVANT LITERATURE .. 28 METHOD .. 30 STATISTICAL FINDINGS .. 31 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .. 35 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE .. 36 ELIMINATING GANG ACTIVITY IN SCHOOLS .. 38 RELEVANT LITERATURE .. 38 METHOD .. 40 STATISTICAL FINDINGS .. 42 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .. 50 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE .. 50 RETURNING TO SCHOOL FROM Juvenile Detention .

8 52 RELEVANT LITERATURE .. 52 METHODS .. 53 STATISTICAL FINDINGS .. 56 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .. 59 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE .. 61 REDUCING DRUG-RELATED ARRESTS .. 62 RELEVANT LITERATURE .. 62 METHOD .. 63 STATISTICAL FINDINGS .. 64 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .. 70 IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE .. 70 MOVING FORWARD .. 72 LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE ..72 CONCLUSION .. 75 REFERENCES .. 76 APPENDIX 1: CHECKLIST FOR SCHOOL FACTORS LINKED TO VIOLENCE AND GANG ACTIVITY .. 82 APPENDIX 2: ITEMS AND FACTOR LOADINGS FROM THE YOUTH EXPERIENCES SURVEY .. 84 ABOUT THE AUTHOR .. 86 2 breaking barriers 2 | Forward FFOORRWWAARRDD In 2008, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) released breaking barriers : Plotting the Path to Academic Success for School-age African-American Males, which is widely regarded as one of the most important scholarly contributions for promoting academic achievement among black males.

9 With support from the Open Society Institute s Campaign for Black Male Achievement, over the last two years we have educated relevant groups on the findings of breaking barriers . Specifically, we have hosted five policy forums in four different regions, including the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West, and presented the findings of breaking barriers at 12 conferences, programs, and symposia, including the National Urban League Convention, the Council of the Great City Schools, and the 103rd conference of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Through our dissemination efforts, we have interacted with thousands of school board members, school administrators, parents, students, and key policymakers at the national and local levels in an effort to reform education in high-need areas.

10 Two important events were a panel on academic achievement among black males at the CBCF Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) and the dissemination of breaking barriers on Capitol Hill. The 2008 ALC Emerging Leaders Series featured a panel entitled 75 Years After the Miseducation of the Negro: New Imperatives for the Education of Black Males. The panelists discussed the need to reform the educational system by redirecting attention from test scores and meeting annual yearly progress. Specifically, they urged teachers and school officials to receive extensive training on cultural competence and teachers to be equipped with the knowledge and resources to actively engage in civic affairs and activism.