The Role of Freedom Schools and Educational Pedagogy in Reducing the Racial Academic Achievement Gap in the United States

Abstract

The United States is facing a national crisis in education. Despite multiple efforts to improve educational achievement across the nation, there is a significant academic achievement gap between white students and African American students. This is visible across the country and in Kalamazoo, Michigan within the Kalamazoo Public School system. The achievement gap has been at the root of the American educational debate since the early 1900s and continues to be one of the most controversial topics in the debate today. Educators and other scholars tend to situate themselves in relation to either the traditional or progressive pedagogy in how they view the causes of the academic achievement gap between African American and white students, but also on the educational philosophy and practices that would most effectively address the gap. The CDF Freedom Schools program, which uses a progressive pedagogy has a long history rooted in social change, and may be an important resource for cities like Kalamazoo, in reducing the academic achievement gap.

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