Grounded in critical race theory, this article seeks to frame the ideological positions of success and failure for African American students in urban school settings. First, we revisit national data and research literature that illustrate the ongoing urban Black-White achievement gap. Second, the Matrix of Achievement Paradigms is shared in an attempt to advance the conversation on African American students' achievement. It provides a serviceable organizational tool for framing African American students' success and failure. Finally, we bridge rhetoric with practical ideas for stakeholders by providing recommendations for closing the achievement gap in urban settings.

this article focuses on the underrepresentation of african american males in gifted and talented programs, and offers a number of key recommendations to practitioners and researchers who seek viable strategies to circumvent this problem. Beyond the focus on underrepresentation, several additional topics for discussion are excogitated to provide a clear perspective on the challenges these students experience in school; namely, (a) definitions of giftedness, (b) identity development, (c) student Millennial culture, and (d) how gifted african american Millennial males in school contexts are treated. additionally, data collected from a recent study of a large Midwestern school district will be presented to further highlight the topics under investigation. National efforts focused on enhancing American schooling have led to numerous initiatives, movements, and policies aimed at addressing questions related to improving the who, what, when, where, and how of educational attainment. Despite these efforts, one group in Definition, Identification, Identity, and Culture 177 particular continues to fall beyond the veil of benefits accrued by those who have been the beneficiaries of this enhanced focus on educational achievement.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of six Chinese and South Korean graduate students in the United States. Semistructured interviews and an interpretive phenomenological approach were used in which three major themes emerged: (a) academic challenges and acculturation, (b) academic support from host institute, and (c) cultural and pedagogical nuances. Challenges included language barriers during lectures, discussions and writing assignments, and lack of support services for international students. One significant finding was Chinese and South Korean students do not have the same graduate experiences in the United States. Participants shared how their prior homeland learning experiences (course delivery, relationships with instructors and assessments) impacted their learning, relationships, and academic challenges in the United States.

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation has dramatically changed the way schools and school districts measure educational attainment for all students. In this article, the researchers examine whether African Americans have progressed or digressed in their educational attainment five years after the implementation of NCLB. To provide a clear picture on the status of educational attainment for African American K?12 public school students across the United States, an analysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was utilized. This analysis was grounded in the theory of structural inequality. Finally, recommendations to K?12 educational practitioners along with education policy makers and funding agencies are discussed.

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