VOA教育报道2023--Black, Latino Students Have Reduced Chances for Success

Black, Latino Students Have Reduced Chances for Success

A federal study of all public schools says that America's Black and Latino students have reduced chances of success.

The data came from the Civil Rights Data Collection, which is a survey by The U.S. Education Department. It aims to examine measures of educational opportunity.

The Associated Press reported on some of the findings.

The study said Black and Latino students were less likely to be in higher-level classes and to receive teaching from certified¹ teachers. The findings suggested effects that have a lasting² influence on students' ability to learn and finish college.

The Education Department gathered data during the 2020-2021 school year. That year most public schools were at least partially³ closed, and teaching took place online because of COVID-19 restrictions⁴.

Speaking about the survey results, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said, "...access to educational opportunity in this country remains⁵ unequal."

The U.S. Supreme⁶ Court declared segregation⁷ in public schools unlawful nearly 70 years ago. However, information in the federal survey said Black and Latino students were more likely to attend schools with lower percentages of certified teachers.

The data also suggested that Black and Latino students are more likely to be in schools that have security guards or police officers but no counselor⁸.

Cardona called this "appalling," because of rising rates of mental health difficulties for young people.

The new data also showed barriers to higher level, or advanced, classes. Taking advanced classes improves a student's chances of going to college, studies suggest. But Black and Latino students were far less likely to take such classes.

Black students represented 15 percent of all high school students, but they made up just eight percent of students in Advanced Placement (AP) science and six percent in AP math. Latino students represented 27 percent of all high school students but made up 20 percent in AP science and 19 percent in AP math classes.

Sonya Thomas is the executive director of Nashville PROPEL, an activist⁹ organization that works with minorities. She said children should have the best and the government should be accountable. "It's so disheartening," she added.

Catherine E. Lhamon is Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education. She called differences between students in the Civil Rights Data Collection information "troubling."

The data showed that in 5,500 public high schools where Black and Latino students make up 75 percent of all students, there were not as many math, science and computer classes as at other schools.

In 35 percent of schools with a high number of Black and Latino students, calculus¹⁰ was not offered. It was available at 54 percent of schools with low Black and Latino numbers.

The Education Department found that students with disabilities and those learning English also faced problems. Fewer students in both groups took math and science classes compared to all students.

The Civil Rights Data Collection is an effort by the U.S. Department of Education to gather information about American public schools. The department's website says the survey started in 1968. It started to include all public schools in the 2009-2010 school year and is required by the government agency.

Words in This Story

survey –n. a study in which people are asked to answer questions about a subject

opportunity–n. situations that make something possible

certified—adj. recognized for completing the requirements of a government or organization

access –n. the ability to get or enter something

accountable –adj. to be responsible or take responsibility for something; to be required to explain something

1 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

2 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

3 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

7 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

8 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

9 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

10 calculus   

n.微积分；结石

参考例句：

• This is a problem where calculus won't help at all.对于这一题，微积分一点也用不上。
• After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。