6 The Hampton Roads Messenger


Volume 8 Number 9


African Americans Say 'Parent Involvement' Key to School Success


BY GEORGE WHITE The “lack quality of


parental involvement” is the biggest issue affecting black students’


of


education. That is one of


major findings in a new national survey of African Americans on factors in their quality of life. The survey, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) and Ebony magazine, polled 1,005 African Americans on their mood and on issues related to income, housing, health


care, education. Responses to education-related


questions made up a large part of the summary of survey findings. When asked to identify the biggest issues in education, about a fifth of respondents said


lack of parental involvement,


making it the most frequently cited concern. Other concerns included “overcrowded


classrooms” (17


percent), “funding differences among school districts” (17 percent), “quality of teachers” (16 percent), and “students with behavioral issues or special needs” (10 percent).


Of those respondents with


school-age children or grandchildren, only 37 percent said the nation was “making progress” in efforts to provide “a quality education.” About a third said the country is “losing ground” in education and 28 percent said that there has been no appreciable change in educational quality.


relationships, race and vested interest in education.”


Thompson said African-American focus groups told WKKF last year that education ranked second only to job security as the most important issue to


foundation in August made a request for grant proposals for “innovative” initiatives


to engage families in


education. “We received more than 1,200


applications, which broke all Kellogg [application] records,” said Thompson. “Family involvement is a foundational element of quality education.”


WKKF had planned to provide


$5 million for family engagement programs over a three-year period. However, responding to the wave of applications,


the Conducted in February, the survey


results were released after the launch of two new Obama Administration initiatives on behalf of young people of color. In January, Pres. Obama appointed


philanthropy and law to serve on a commission


White House


leaders in education, for the


Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. The president is also seeking support from foundations and businesses for “My Brother’s Keeper,” a campaign he announced on February 27 to improve the education and life prospects of young Latino and African-American males.


WKKF is one of 10 major


foundations that have agreed to work with the White House to support the “My


Brother’s Keeper” However, education has been


initiative. a


priority for WKKF throughout its 83-year history, said Carla Thompson, vice-president of program strategy at the foundation.


Referring to the survey results that


cite “lack of parental involvement” as the biggest education issue, Thompson said “that doesn’t surprise me [because] everyone has a stake in education and a


Scholarship Watch


Odebrecht Award for Sustainable Development


This award is for students pursuing an undergraduate degree in engineering (all areas), architecture, building and construction management, or chemistry at an accredited university in the United States. To qualify, applicants must be fully enrolled for the academic period in which the competition takes place. To apply, applicants must write and submit a paper on contributions to sustainability. Projects may be undertaken individually or in a group of no more than 3 students under the supervision of an Advising Professor. If in a group, students must be enrolled at the same university, and are encouraged to invite team members from other schools or departments within their institution. Entries will be evaluated on applicability, technical contribution, content, reasoning and depth, and clarity and presentation. Students may submit entries during the award period beginning January 1st through May 31st.


More Details: www.odebrechtaward.com foundation has


decided to provide $5 million during the first year of funding. Thompson said WKKF will announce the amount it will invest in the second and third years when it identifies the grant winners of first round of funding in mid-April.


WKKF is already funding some parental engagement


May 2014 initiatives – blacks overall. In response, the


among them, programs managed by Parents for Public Schools of Jackson (Mississippi) and the Orleans Public Education Network in New Orleans (OPEN).


Deirdre


OPEN Executive Director Johnson Burel


said more


parental involvement is needed but cited “institutional school problems” as a more important factor in the education of black students. She said there is a need for more professional development training for teachers and that black students are not getting the best instruction because teachers


at


schools in low-income communities generally have less experience.


Burel said parental involvement


is becoming more important as school districts in 44 states begin to adopt the more rigorous Common Core education standards.


“We need to help parents


understand this shift,” she said. “We need higher education standards, but we also need the resources to meet those standards.”


Methane Emissions other cost-effective


FROM PAGE 4 technologies to


reduce U.S. dairy sector greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.


Oil and Gas: Building on success in reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector through voluntary programs and targeted regulations, the Administration will take new actions to encourage additional cost-effective reductions. Key steps include:


In the spring of 2014, EPA will assess several potentially significant sources of methane and other emissions from the oil and gas sector.


EPA will solicit input from


independent experts through a series of technical white papers, and in the


fall of 2014, EPA will determine how best to pursue further methane reductions from these sources.


If


EPA decides to develop additional regulations, it will complete those regulations by the end of 2016.


Later this year, the BLM will


propose updated standards to reduce venting and flaring from oil and gas production on public lands.


Review, and through DOE-convened roundtables,


identify “downstream” methane reduction


As part of the Quadrennial Energy the Administration opportunities.


will Through


the Natural Gas STAR program, EPA will work with the industry to expand voluntary efforts to reduce methane emissions.


waste


Taking action to curb methane and


pollution because of all


is important emissions of


methane make up nearly 9 percent


the


greenhouse gas emitted as a result of human activity in the United States. Since 1990, methane pollution in the United States has decreased by 11 percent, even can


as activities that


have increased. However, methane


is


produce methane pollution


projected to increase to a level


equivalent to over


620 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution in 2030 absent additional action to reduce emissions.


Reducing


emissions is a powerful way to take climate


action change;


with a source of clean energy that


methane on


and


putting methane to use can support local


economies generates


revenue, spurs investment and jobs, improves safety, and leads to cleaner air. When fully implemented, the policies in the methane strategy will improve public health and safety while recovering otherwise wasted energy to power our communities, farms, factories, power plants.


and


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16