Antonio Frasure

June 3, 2019
Period 6

College. Many people think of it, but half also go there. College is a place that can make or
break people. Bring them up, or push them down. Extremely hard. But to get to college, you have to get
accepted. You must have the bare minimum requirement to actually be there on campus and go to the
colleges. That goes into the college acceptance rates. For who? African Americans of course. African
Americans aren’t notorious for going to college, much less getting accepted. They aren't known to be
educated. Yes, they don't talk as if they are educated most of the time, but the image of African
Americans post high school isn't a very good image. Applying to the best colleges in the world, African
Americans barely have a 10% chance of getting in. A simple 1 out of every 10 people. That statistic
merely shows that African American students have extremely low advantages in today's world. And most
of those disadvantages can be attributed to poor education in high school. Improper modes and means of
education. Steering an African American students chances of getting into college, even the highest and
most prestigious, to 1 out of 10. That is the supreme issue that is to be focused on today. The failure of the
education system on African American students, in Chicago, affecting their overall college acceptance
rates. And what must be done to correct this wrong that is obviously seen by many. African Americans
not on grade level curriculum are less likely to be accepted into college. High schools that inadequately
teach African American students lower future college acceptance rates for African Americans. African
American students below average education are less likely to even apply, worsening the conditions.

African-American not on grade level curriculum are less likely to be accepted into college. The
achievement gap is a big contributor to African Americans not being on grade level and behind their
white counterparts in college acceptance rates. According to Education Next, having teachers give up
their hold on what to teach, and accepting “intensive guide from instructional coordinators and adhering
to an explicit series of learning progressions in math and reading.” (Education Next, 2017)This course of
action is because of how well other schools seemed to have acted to this plan of action. Two Southside
charter schools had advanced from the bottom of the quarter of Chicago’s test score to the 46th percentile
in reading and math. The plan of action had worked so well for the the students of these schools that the
plan was implemented into other schools. And if I were to compare my experiences from going to
Longwood to the plan of action that seems to be happening then it is exactly what is happening. The same
plan that is happening. With two schools already benefiting greatly from this implemented plan, boosting
them up to the 46th percentile, it should be done at other schools nearly like it. But for a school to have to
change their whole teaching curriculum, math and reading, to get their own students on track is extremely
worrisome. Not even being able to let the teachers teach the curriculum that they want to teach. All
because of students not on grade level academically. Affecting those who want to go to college and those
that most likely won't even apply, much less even make it if they did..

As for the last example in the paragraphs beforehand, high school curriculum for African American
students are being wholly reformed. Redone. After seeing test scores "soar" after having performed so
well at other schools, it should be implemented at all schools. With the same results being expected to be
seen at all of the schools. That can have it implemented there that is. High schools improperly teaching
African American students are leading to these changes in curriculum altogether. In an effort to educate
the students and potentially raise the college acceptance rates for African Americans. Chicago Tribune
has done a sweeping analysis that suggest that high school students in Chicago, but in this case African
American high school students aren't receiving college prep classes that challenge them for college. In
which they aren't being considerably challenged enough. Challenged enough to even be academically on
track for college. That means getting into college or even passing the entrance paper. Not having a college
prep class made them lack behind and continue to have basic classes that didn't push them to the
necessary growth that they had needed. Study showed that between 122 and 179 schools(Dian Rado,
Chicago Tribune, 2017), none of them reported work more vigorous or harder than necessary. Basically
stating that bare minimum was actually done for the core subjects. Not giving the students the push to
remotely stand a chance in the college lifestyle.

Students with below average education are less likely to apply for college. Creating the distance of
who graduates to who applies. The ratios being extremely consistent as time goes on. There are tens of
thousands of students that are behind academically(Illinois Policy). And a majority of students are
attending the lowest percentile schools. Not being competent in reading and math in state exams. Even
more across the lowest schools in Chicago scored even lower than possibly thought normal. All greatly
damaging the college acceptance rates for African American students in Chicago significantly. Many
weren't even close to bare minimum.

Many people have different solutions as to how to handle this extremely important pandemic. But
what I see it as is African American students taking extra classes to catch up with on track African
American students post high school. But that isn't as easy as many make it to be. According my citation
work overload from juggling original high school work and the new classes would mentally strain the
students. Creating and causing unnecessary problems that can surely be fixed with time, but unnecessarily
there. Even though one can take the extra classes, even though it can surely be fixed, many problems can
arise with time and said students mental and physical health. That can also be spoken of with personal
experience. Extra taken classes with original classes from school can take a mental toll on the
student(Leslie Rowland, Seventeen, 2013).

There are many aspects as to why African American students are exponentially behind in the education
race in Chicago and also the college acceptance rates. Based at African American based schools, a whole
new curriculum is extremely necessary. So necessary that it's already been implemented with successful
results already given to not one, but two Southside schools. And my school can be considered as part of
that experiment.

CITATIONS:

https://www.educationnext.org/closing-the-achievement-gap-chicago-south-side-book-review-ambitious-
elementary-school-mcghee-hassrick-raudenbush-rosen
www-chicagotribune-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-illinois-
high-school-courses-met-20170519-
story,amp.html?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQDoAEB#aoh=15596467965948&_ct=15596466
33843&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3
A%2F%2Fwww.chicagotribune.com%2Fnews%2Fbreaking%2Fct-illinois-high-school-courses-met-
20170519-storyhtml.

www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/trapped-in-chicagos-worst-schools-education-outcomes-in-chicagos-
lowest-performing-public-schools

www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a20514/stress-of-course-overload