Opportunity You Network just released a report called “Driving Systemic Change for Boys & Young Men of Color in Newark,” which examines the “deep wounds left when our education system fails to see the promise in every [Black and Hispanic male] student” and why we desperately need “agents of change.” The preface to the report notes that Newark is one of four cities in the U.S. that was identified as a “My Brother’s Keeper Model Community” by President Barack Obama.

What, then, is the state of education for Black and Brown boys in Newark? The report, relying on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Jersey Department of Education (2021-2022) paints a grim picture. Yet it also offers hope if these “change agents” can focus on six “Key Life Milestones,” which include “Entering School Ready to Learn,” reading at grade-level by third-grade, graduating from high school, completing a post-secondary educational program, getting a job, and “remaining safe from violent crime.”

Let’s break it down.

Entering School Ready to Learn

Preschool enrollment—the only criterion for this category—is high throughout the city, 77%, and most attendees meet or exceed expectations in various skill sets like cognitive and physical development. However, there is cause for concern: over the last few years “the share of Black boys has steadily declined” in numbers not mirrored by Newark’s demographic changes. Latino boys’ participation has gone up.

Reading at Grade-Level By Third-Grade

Fifteen percent of third-grade boys in all city public schools are meeting or exceeding literacy expectations. Yet there are big gaps between traditional schools and charter schools and also among ethnicities. Within the district, 10% of Black male third-graders and 14% of Hispanic male third-graders read proficiently. In the charter sector, 34% of Black boys read proficiently and 43% of Hispanic boys read proficiently.

Graduating From High School

Across district schools, 82% of boys graduate from high school. The rate for Black students is 78%; the rate for Hispanic students is 83%.

Completing Post-Secondary Education or Training

By age 24, 14% of Black males and 9% of Hispanic males received a college degree. Thirty-six percent of Black males and 29% of Hispanic males finished high school by the age of 24. However, “the number of male concentrators and completers in NPS CTE programs [Career and Technical Education] has drastically increased since 2018, more than doubling for most demographic groups.”

Successfully Employed

In Newark, 7.6% of Black males and 11% of Hispanic males, ages 16-19, were not enrolled in school, college, or in the labor force at the time of this survey. Among men of color ages 20-24, 57% were employed. Thirty-three percent of them make between $10-$30K per year; 24% make less than $10K.

Remaining Safe From Violence

Some good news: there has been a 55% decrease in homicides in Newark, a 60-year low. In fact, every type of crime is down, with the exception of robbery and auto theft, both up 5%. But the racial disparities are staggeringly high: 93% of juvenile arrests are for Black males.

The report is replete with recommendations for each section that, if implemented, could lead to better outcomes for Newark boys of color: visiting programs to support pregnant women and families and encourage them to enroll their children in preschool; improvements in the way schools measure student progress; extended school calendars to improve graduation rates; programs that allow students to earn high school and community college credit simultaneously; melding in-school education with on-the-job training; violence intervention and social service resources focused on the small number of individuals most likely to commit violent crimes.

The most compelling testimony comes not from the data but from the voices of parents. Here’s a Newark mother:

“My biggest fear is that I gave life to a son just to watch him grow from birth to death. We tell our children, ‘You can be whatever you want, go to school and get an education so you can get a job.’ Then we have to watch our sons face disappointment and watch the hope be drained from them just because of the color of their skin.”