CMS given $2 million grant to research, help African-Americans in school

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools numbers show a huge disparity between its African-American students' success and that of its white students.

Now, the district has $2 million to research the reasons and come up with solutions.

Eugene Stitt worked with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as a family advocate.

Part of his job was to get parents involved in their child's education, which is why he's on board with a new initiative by CMS.

"The parents have to buy in. There's no doubt,” Still said. “The parents have to be a part of the child's education from day one."

Parents getting involved is a key piece of CMS' research on how to help African-American boys succeed in school.

The district just received a nearly $2 million grant, from the National Institute of Justice, to address a troubling disparity:

Numbers from CMS show only 36 percent of African-American students are prepared for college in math compared with 79 percent for white students.

In reading, 31 percent of African-American students are ready for college, while 73 percent of white students are prepared.

The grant money will go to CMS and the nonprofit research group, Research Triangle Institute. Next school year, they will roll out a program at 10 high schools.

The specific high schools haven't been announced, but staff members will get training and support to help ninth-graders adjust to high school.

Parents will get coaching for parenting skills and student advancement.

The research program is supposed to help 20,000 students, academically and with behavioral issues. Part of the goal of the research is to reduce suspensions and expulsions.

Community leaders said the district doesn't need more research.

"We're continuing to spend millions of millions of dollars for the same things that we're not getting right from the beginning,” said Dr. Ricky Woods, who works with children in their studies after school.

Woods said he wants more focus on long-term teachers and stability in the schools' leadership.

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