Poverty, fatherlessness contribute to racial achievement gaps – not racism, new report finds

For decades, the learning gaps between African American and white students have been attributed to systemic racism and inequitable funding.

But new research has found social issues may play a much larger role in hindering black students than previously thought. 

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) published a new report examining the relationship between racial achievement gaps, poverty and other social factors.

In Wisconsin, about 61% of white students are proficient in reading and 64% in math.

However, black students achieve just 18% and 14%, respectively.

“Race itself does not cause low academic achievement,” observed WILL Research Director Will Flanders. “What matters are the underlying factors that our education system too often ignores – poverty, family stability, early literacy and whether schools are using proven approaches to raise achievement.

“We hope our findings spark further investigation, debate, and ultimately an education system that works for ALL students.”

High poverty is correlated with a 41% reduction in academic proficiency, according to WILL’s report.

Meanwhile, students who have diagnoses of learning disabilities are more likely to have lower test scores and graduation rates.

Black students are more likely to have a learning disability diagnosis, and over 40% of black students attend a high poverty school. 

Additionally, family life can make a huge difference in academic achievement.

“Research has shown that students who come from two-parent families are more likely to have academic success than those from other family situations,” Flanders explained in the report. “A particular key here is the presence of a father in the home.”

Previous studies have shown children raised without a father in the home are more likely to use drugs, commit crimes, and be incarcerated, abused or impoverished. Teenage girls with absent fathers are also more likely to become pregnant.

While the rate of absentee fathers has risen among all racial groups, it’s particularly prevalent among African Americans.

In 1970, roughly 14% of all American households lacked a father. By 2023, it had risen to 25%.

However, fathers are less likely to be absent in white (20%) or Hispanic (29%) families than in black families (50%).

According to WILL, Wisconsin has one of the lowest rates of marriage in black adults (22%). Black families are also less likely to read to children younger than 6, which negatively affects early literacy. 

“Wisconsin’s racial achievement gap is both real and alarming, but its roots appear to extend well beyond race alone,” Flanders concluded. “A renewed focus on family stability, early childhood development, and targeted support based on economic status rather than race may offer a more effective path towards narrowing these long-observed gaps.

“Closing the achievement gap will ultimately depend on addressing each student’s individual needs, rather than categorizing and stereotyping students based on race.”