Statistically, children of color have a lower placement rate in honors, gifted and talented, and AP courses when compared to their peers. Interestingly, this number changes very little even when Black children share a similar socioeconomic status as their White counterparts or they attend prestigious schools. This may lead some to believe that our children just don’t have what it takes to be in high achieving programs.
Nothing could be further from the truth, especially when we factor in the variables that determine how students are placed, and most importantly, the power brokers who make decisions about who can take honors courses—courses that will often place students on pathways to collegiate scholarships and college preparedness.
Step into most classrooms in America and you will find various classrooms with varied instructional purposes. For many of us, these pathways were once thought of as academic tracks. Some pathways are intended to prepare students for vocational careers; others are positioned to prepare students for professional careers/college; and others are for the purposes of providing students with more rigorous instruction.
The latter are often called honors, pre-AP, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. With the prospects of earning college credit, earning a
higher (weighted) GPA or being awarded prestigious college scholarships, being placed in any of these academic pathways is often coveted and highly competitive.
Why Do Your Child’s Courses Matter?
Unlike other courses where a student, in consultation with a school counselor, self-selects his/her courses based upon his/her diploma track, honors, pre-AP, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses often have rigid criteria for admission. These classes are often smaller in size, more autonomous in nature, driven by complex and sophisticated reading material and taught by the best teachers in the school—some of whom hold advanced degrees in their content areas.
In other words, these courses are intended to provide its students with an educational setting on par with their intellectual ability. This sounds optimal for ALL students, so why are some students excluded from these courses?
The Student Selection Process
Often, students are recommended for gifted programs, in particular, based upon their IQ test results, standardized test scores and/or the recommendations of their teachers and/or counselors. Although the process is often considered a form of
meritocracy, the recommendation of a teacher can be relatively subjective. And we know that even gifted students may not fare well on aptitude or IQ tests. For these reasons, it is important to understand your school’s process for selection to any of the aforementioned programs.
Keep in mind that this often starts as early as elementary school. Unfortunately, once some students are on a particular track, it is almost impossible to get them off of that track. Selection for these courses should be transparent, equitable, and based upon merit, not race. If you feel as if your child has been misplaced, say something and ask to meet with the honors coordinator (if applicable), the department chair and/or the principal.
What Can You Do?
More than anything, you can advocate for your child. Admittedly, the K-12 landscape may be hard to navigate. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the discourse and the written work of those who support young, gifted, and Black children.
Two scholars, in particular, who have done extensive work in the areas of young, gifted, and Black children in K-12 and collegiate settings are Dr. Fred A. Bonnor II and Dr. Donna Ford. Their collective body of scholarship is helpful in understanding the
implications and long term trajectories for students who are given access to gifted and talented spaces.
For parents, the more that you understand and the more informed you are, the less complicated advocating for your child becomes. Make sure you gather as much information as you can about deadlines, criteria, and the resources that are required to position your child to have a fair chance at admission into higher-level courses. And don’t be afraid to ask to see the written, official policy for your district.
Try to be as proactive as possible. One of the most powerful words in our lexicon is: “Why?” Ask and don’t be afraid to keep asking—your child’s academic future is at stake.
The most important thing to remember is that as a parent you have rights.
A recent article that highlighted the accomplishments of esteemed scholar Dr. Donna Ford asks us all, “And how do any poor and gifted children of color scale the tremendous barriers standing between them and their potential?”
As Dr. Ford reminds us, it starts with us standing in the gap and advocating for our children.
Tyra Seldon, Ph.D. is a former English professor turned writer, editor and small business owner. Passionate about the English language and the craft of storytelling, she launched Seldon Writing Group, LLC in 2011. Dr. Seldon has worked with education tech companies, celebrities, aspiring writers, entrepreneurs, media outlets, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies to develop their written content. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling the world, one continent at a time. She can be reached at [email protected]
FB: @seldonwriting
IG: @tyraseldon
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