Keeping the Dream Through the CARE Model: Examining Strategies to Bridge the Gaps in Education Among Urban Youth

Abstract

Ensuring the academic success for students of color in urban school districts in the United States has been the subject of numerous policies, reports, books, and articles. Despite the increased attention in urban schools highlighting the educational disparities including academic achievement, opportunity, and discipline gaps for students of color, school districts are improving. Yet, student outcomes such as graduation rates in these districts are not reflective of an improvement. In the scholarly literature, researchers have pointed to a plethora of academic and environmental reasons for the achievement gap and have proposed solutions to improve outcomes for students of color. However, not often discussed is the development of a comprehensive framework that addresses the academic, social, and emotional needs of students and teachers to reduce the aforementioned gaps. To address this need, the chapter authors propose the use of a CARE model to address the gaps impacting students of color in urban school districts. The CARE model explores the role that (C) culturally relevant pedagogy, (A) attachment to school, (R) regulating emotions (mental health), and (E) expectations of teachers, play in narrowing or closing the gaps. Recommendation for research, policy, and practice conclude the chapter.