Wheeling-Based Program Helps Students Succeed in Science Through Hands-on Education
Document Actions
Seeking New Insights into Achievement Gap
--By Hilary Parker - Princeton Weekly Bulletin--Angel Harris wants to change the way people think about the academic achievement gap across racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
Mr. Harris is an assistant professor of sociology and African American studies at Princeton, he seeks to debunk current theories about the achievement gap that he has found to be implausible.
"It's a huge national issue," Harris said, noting that the gap in academic skills and success between black and white students has a significant impact on their earning potential as adults. The disparity remains large, pervasive and persistent, with many black 12th-graders typically performing on a level equivalent to many white eighth-graders, according to Harris. Even using the most optimistic predictions, the gap in reading abilities is expected to remain for at least six decades and in terms of mathematics achievement is likely to last even longer, perhaps a century, he said.
For Harris, the issue of why many black youths tend to lag in school is personal as well. Once an underperforming high school student, he had to be pushed into college by a friend's family, which ultimately awakened his passion for education.