Opening the “Black Box”: Nonresidential African American Fathers on Black Men’s Educational Outcomes: During the Period of Three Federal Policy

Abstract

The study investigates the education phenomenon of nonresidential African American fathers as boys across educational policy. These fathers give narratives of their lived education experiences as children through various education reforms. Described in the research are restrictive learning environments, education socialization, and the cross-generational impact on males who become nonresidential African American fathers. The research draws on looking back at lived education experiences during various education reforms. Retrospective research performed in medicine when researchers look backwards from an outcome to discover new information. The findings help to identify factors not captured in an initial study. Through social justice theory narrative analysis will inform the researcher of unsuspecting occurrences or phenomenon part of education reforms designed to close learning gaps. Retrospective research analyzes education reform policies with negative outcomes of a group in order to adjust policies and pedagogy to increase academic achievement among African American males. The findings suggest education agents interpret and practice at the campus level impact the no solutions were in place to partner with NRAAFs to insure the academic and social success of their children when education reform policies were implemented.