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August 2, 2012

President Creates Initiative to Bolster Education of African Americans

President Barack Obama last week signed an Executive Order to improve the academic performance and opportunities for African-American students.

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans will work across federal agencies and partner with community organizations nationwide  to create a more effective continuum of education programs for African-American students, according to the Executive Order. The initiative aims to ensure that all African-American students receive an education that fully prepares them for high school graduation, college completion and productive careers.

The initiative is designed to meet eight objectives:

•    Increase the number of African-American children enrolled in kindergarten by improving access to high-quality early learning  and development programs;
•    Ensure that all African-American students have access to high-level, rigorous course work and support services that prepare them for college, a career and civic participation;
•    Provide African-American students with equitable access to effective teachers and principals in pursuit of a high-quality education and support efforts to improve the recruitment, preparation, development and retention of successful African-American teachers and principals;
•    Promote a positive school climate that does not rely on methods that result in disparate use of disciplinary tools and decrease the disproportionate number of referrals  to special education by addressing root causes of the referrals;
•    Reduce the dropout rate of African-American students and increase the proportion who graduate from high school prepared for college and a career;
•    Increase college access, persistence and attainment for African-American students;
•    Strengthen the capacity of institutions of higher education that serve large numbers of African-American students, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, predominantly Black Institutions and other institutions;
•    Improve the quality of and expand access to adult education, literacy programs and career technical education.

The Executive Order also creates the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African-Americans to aid and advise the work on the initiative. In addition, the order establishes a Federal Interagency Working Group on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

President Obama has set a goal for America to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans will be housed within the U.S. Department of Education and will work with the executive office of the President and cabinet agencies.

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