For some time it has been widely known that Black males are underrepresented in most categories associated with academic success and over-represented in categories associated with failure. This is true in most schools throughout the United States and it is certainly true in schools in New York City. Most of the existing research on the academic challenges confronting Black males provides documentation on the extent of poor performance among Black males, but has generally not proven helpful in the design and implementation of effective interventions.

This study tells the story of the different educational paths taken by all Black males in the expected 2007 graduation cohort who attended New York City Schools since at least 4th grade. Findings illuminate the areas in and out of school that, if left unaddressed, can adversely affect the life chances of low-income Black male students in New York City. Key findings are followed by a list of recommendations.

This report was prepared for the Black Male Donor Collaborative by The Metropolitan Center for Urban Education at New York University, led by Professor Pedro Noguera, and the Center for Research on Fathers, Children and Family Well-Being (CRFCFW) at Columbia University, under the direction of Professor Ronald B. Mincy. The full report is available here.