An American Imperative

Closing the large educational gaps that exist between the majority population and several minority groups is increasingly important, owing to America's rapidly growing racial and ethnic diversity and the rising skill demands of our technological era. This book examines variations in minority and majority educational patterns, assesses underlying causes, and offers recommendations for increasing the rate of minority educational progress.

L. Scott Miller argues that group educational advancement is an intergenerational process shaped by a complex interplay of economic, social, cultural, and institutional factors over time. The current generation of minority and majority students has very different amounts and mixes of home, school, and community resources to draw on, owing to divergent historical experiences and contemporary circumstances. A large-scale, long-term national effort is proposed to ensure that minorities reach educational parity with the majority as soon as possible.