On Wednesday, during his remarks at the
National Urban League conference in New Orleans, President Obama
announced an Executive Order to improve outcomes and advance educational
opportunities for African Americans. On Thursday, he signed that Executive Order
surrounded by some of the key leaders who have been at forefront of promoting
those priorities.
The President has made it a
top priority to provide a complete and competitive education for all
Americans – from cradle to career. The White House Initiative on Educational
Excellence for African Americans, created by this Executive Order, will work
across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce
a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students.
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.
In the nearly 60 years since
the Brown v.Board of Education decision put America on a path
toward equal educational opportunity, America’s educational system has
undergone a remarkable transformation. Many African American children who
attended substandard, segregated schools in the 1950s have grown up to see
their children attend integrated and effective elementary and secondary
schools, colleges, and universities. Nonetheless, substantial obstacles to
equal educational opportunity still remain in America’s school systems.
Disproportionately, students of color, including African Americans, lag in
equal access to highly effective teachers and principals, safe schools, and
challenging college-preparatory classes. And they experience school discipline and
referrals to special education at higher rates than their peers.
Improving the educational
outcomes of African Americans will provide substantial benefits for our
country, like increasing college completion rates, employment rates, and the
number of African American teachers. So, through this Executive Order, President
Obama is taking an important step to promote a more promising future for all
Americans.
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