Rock The Schools had the opportunity to take the show to Access Minnesota’s public affairs programming airing on 50 radio stations throughout Minnesota. Click here for schedule:
http://www.accessminnesotaonline.com/schedule/
It is our goal to continue to educate the public on critical issues that matter to students, parents and educators. In Minnesota: 1) 62% of African Americans graduate from high school in Minnesota compared to 87% of white students. 2)This disparity continues in higher education: Only 45% of African American students graduate from college in the state.
This week, a discussion on how to better prepare students of color for college and ways Minnesota can help close one of the nation’s largest achievement gaps.
Guests: Terry Henry, Executive Director for the Department of Career and College Readiness, Minneapolis Public Schools; Chris Stewart, Host of Rock the Schools with Citizen Stewart and Director of External Affairs, Education Post; Nekima Levy-Pounds, Civil Rights Attorney and former President, MPLS NAACP
Part 1 – 13:11Terry Henry discusses the United Negro College Fund’s Empower Me Tour and opportunities for Minnesota’s African American high schoolers.
More information on the Empower Me Tour: http://empowermetour.org/
More information on Minneapolis Public Schools’ Department of College and Career Readiness: http://ccr.mpls.k12.mn.us/
Part 2 – 13:23
Chris Stewart and Nekima Levy-Pounds discuss the root causes of the achievement gap and why large disparities persist today in Minnesota schools. “Nationally, no one has become experts at educating black children,” Stewart says, “but specifically, Minnesota has a long way to go.” Levy-Pounds points to a lack of the number of teachers of color, a tendency to blame poverty for achievement gaps and a resistance from school officials when it comes to listening to the voices of parents from communities of color.
