There are few in this nation who would deny that education is a civil right. However, the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators has elevated the issue to an agenda for academic success.

With noted educator George McKenna co-chairing the CAAASA’s "Education is a Civil Right" campaign, visibility is high. McKenna has a bold message about closing the student achievement gap, nurtured over many years of practice with underrepresented youth.

Other notable figures contributing to the efforts nationally include comedian and actor Bill Cosby, political activist Al Sharpton and members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

McKenna’s transformation of Wash-ing-ton High School in South Los Angeles from gang-infested to highly academically successful inspired the award-winning, 1986 TV movie "Hard Lessons," featuring Denzel Washington in one of his first starring roles.

McKenna’s programs continue to be modeled, and he has served as a consultant to school districts and law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. He has received more than 400 citations and awards for his work.

Now retired, McKenna is a sought-after speaker. He presented at the 2008 ACSA Leadership Summit and more recently, the "Education is a Civil Right: Making the Dream a Reality" Community Forum, sponsored by the Willie B. Adkins Scholarship Program Parent Network at Vallejo City USD.

The Vallejo Adkins Program, directed by ACSA Assistant Executive Director Joseph Jones, works with African American students and their families to ensure college enrollment. It includes goal-setting, test preparation and even understanding cultural pride.

That fits nicely with McKenna’s message that "education is personal, and we must create systems that are personal."

He believes teachers should be trained regularly to produce meaningful systemic change for students, parents and beyond. And, he says, there should be consequences for not attending such training. But the training should be differentiated according to a teacher’s needs.

"Teachers should be assembled so as to teach them," McKenna said. "Not to offend them, but to teach them. …I have a theory that it is more important – and more challenging – to teach the teachers than to teach the children. "

CAAASA President Pamela Short Powell pointed out that part of that training must involve understanding that it is crucial to connect students to their cultural backgrounds if they are to move forward academically.

"(Educational theorist Lev) Vygotsky speaks directly to the issue of understanding the social, cultural and societal context in which students develop," Powell said. "He suggests that these experiences shape the ways thinking and interpreting the world … has an impact and influence in cognitive skill development."

Powell also cited the work of Barbara Sizemore, a pioneering African American superintendent. In her studies on the education of African American youth, Sizemore speaks about the biases that exist as a result of educators not understanding or knowing about African American history, which she believed should be taught in universities.

"She believed that understanding and knowing facilitates educational excellence," Powell said.

"Learning While Black" author Janice Hale speaks directly to the issues and suggests that educational gains for African American children and youth will be enhanced only when a student’s distinctive culture is acknowledged and used to inform educational practices.

There are those who misunderstand the issue of cultural distinction in education, with claims that it aims to end-run standards-based education. Powell says nothing could be further from the truth.

"Standard-based education allows us to stay focused and address those skills that are critical," she said. "When aligned to professional development and implementation, the results are evident."

The Education is a Civil Right agenda includes four primary target areas to impact the educational outcomes for African American students and families in K-12 education:

• Implement educational policies and practices – including personnel assignments, training and evaluation – that advance and promote educational excellence for all African American students.

• Improve high school graduation rates for all African American students.

• Improve the educational progress and status of African American male and female students by understanding and coping with gender-specific needs. A special focus must address the causes of, and solutions to, the underachievement of African American male students.

• Provide support for parents and families of underachieving African American students.

One of the larger controversies in differentiated education is gender-separate classrooms. McKenna has long maintained that African American males, particularly, learn better in homogenous groups.

Especially at the middle school level, same-sex classes in English language arts and math benefit males and do not harm females, McKenna said. African American males at that age are measuring their manhood, he said, and can be intimidated by females. They are much more likely to participate in classroom discussions and concentrate on learning when not in the presence of females.

The 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress found only 46 percent of black, non-Hispanic eighth-grade male students could read at the basic level, compared to 78 percent of white, non-Hispanic male students.

"Black male students represent 3 percent of enrollments in gifted or talented education programs, and the number of black students in special education classes is disproportionately high," Powell said. "If we are charged with eliminating the achievement gap, making sure that all students are reading and comprehending math skills, decreasing the dropout rate and increasing the graduation rate, holding educators accountable, and utilizing resources that benefit those students who are at risk, it makes sense, considering the research and studies, such as the one by the NAEP, that we concentrate on helping those young people who are having the most difficulty."

The label of "reverse racism" often arises when addressing the topic of creating gender-separate classrooms for African American males, but the Education is a Civil Right movement suggests it is racist not to address the needs of those who are failing.

And the association is extremely concerned about the potential for less work to be done on behalf of students of color as the state continues to grapple with economic hardship.

"Today’s economic crisis is impacting every community," Powell said. "With more and more districts laying off teachers or cutting back on services, struggling students are likely to be left without the support necessary to build important literacy skills, math skills and other skills necessary to be productive and that are essential for life-long success. For one particular group – black, non-Hispanic boys – such cuts could be detrimental."

The African American Education is a Civil Right agenda will continue throughout the nation, with CAAASA at the forefront.

"We will continue to speak to educators, politicians, governance and governmental agencies about our agenda," Powell said. "We want to educate those who do not understand the need to focus on African American males, eliminating the achievement gap, the disproportionate number of African American student in special education, parent involvement, drop-out and graduation rates, professional development training, equity in resource distribution, and quality education."

For more information on CAAASA or Education is a Civil Right, visit www.caaasa.org or www.educationisacivilright.com.