African American Students and Literacy

The 2024-2025 school year is in session, and unfortunately for many African American students, the lessons may prove difficult because of poor reading skills. Black males in particular are struggling; according to published research, only 12% of Black males are proficient in reading by 8th grade. Renowned educator Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu says, "If a Black male is not proficient in reading by the 4th grade, they only have a 20% chance of graduating from high school on grade level." We explore the reasons for the low reading proficiency rate among children of color, and offer creative ways to make reading fun with our guests, reading specialists Kimberly Brown-McCray and Veronica Jones.