Black males have the lowest graduation rates of any population in the country, graduating from high school at the rate of just 59%. They are suspended and referred to special education classes at rates three times higher than any other population. They make up just 6% of the US population yet account for nearly a third of the American prison population. The graduation gap between White and Black males is currently 21% and growing. Research has shown that costly federal, state, and local programs have failed to solve this crisis. This book details the 10-step method I developed and deployed in the Buffalo (New York) high school of which I was principal, which has raised the four-year graduation rate for Black males to 84% and the five-year rate to 90%. My program has been deployed throughout New York State and I am now advising schools nationally, helping them to deploy proven strategies that will guarantee the academic success of Black males. This is a one-of-a-kind book with powerful strategies secondary and middle school principals can use to transform their entire school. The strategies in this book are what every successful principal needs to run a high performing school. This book answers the age-old question: "Can principals truly make a difference and turn their school around?" The answer is yes, they can! This book will show them how.
Marck Abraham is a national authority on minority education with a passion for increasing graduation rates for Black and Brown males. He is also a former high school principal who was cited by the New York State Department of Education as 1 out of 10 schools with the highest graduation rates for Black and Brown males in the state.
Preface Part I: Life, Death, and Diplomas Chapter 1. School Principals Matter: Share the Love but Own the Data Chapter 2. Some Do Overcome Chapter 3. Ten Steps Forward Part II: The Ten Steps Chapter 4. Step One: Data Dominates Chapter 5. Step Two: Goals? Make Them Realistically High Chapter 6. Step Three: If You Don't Like What's Being Said, Change the Conversation Chapter 7. Step Four: Hold Teachers Accountable Chapter 8. Step Five: Resources-Prioritize, Focus, Allocate Chapter 9. Step Six: Discover Their Big Why Chapter 10. Step Seven: Work, Workout, Rest, Smile, Laugh, Hug Your Family, Keep Your Mind and Body Healthy Chapter 11. Step Eight: Red, Yellow, Green-Target Student Intervention Chapter 12. Step Nine: Reimagine Discipline Chapter 13. Step Ten: Celebrate ... Everything! References
