Q: In what ways are schools truly changing what they are doing in order to reach Black students? In what ways are schools maintaining the status quo?

A: Working in the SE quadrant of Washington DC, I have seen many ways that my school has tried to change and implement systems in order to reach its Black students. One of the main issues that my school is troubled with is the lack of attendance of 3-5 year olds. This caused the tier ranking to decline this past school year.

Because my school wants to be ranked Tier 1 again, they have implemented an attendance campaign which offers incentives to teachers, parents, and students. Students who are in school daily and stay all day will be entered into a monthly drawing to receive a prize. Their parent and teacher will receive one as well. The school also hosts monthly attendance parties where students get to dance to their favorite songs and enjoy their favorite snacks.

While these efforts were put into place and the school seems to love them, it is ultimately up to the parents to bring their children to school. In Washington, DC, the law states that children are not required to attend school until the age of 5. My school offers a “head start” program so that these children can be prepared for kindergarten. Although services provided by my school are heavily promoted throughout the community, there is still dependent variables that result in consistency.