Ohio: Affluent Blacks in Good Schools Still Are Falling Behind

Even if they come from affluent families or attend highly rated schools, black students in Ohio continue to lag far behind their white peers in school, according to a Columbus Dispatch analysis of data from state standardized exams.

On more than two dozen state tests given to students in kindergarten through high school last year, the average passage rate among black students was 64 percent. On average, 87 percent of white students passed.

Disparities between races have existed across the country since schools were physically divided by race, researchers say, but many now view those gaps largely as a product of high poverty among minorities.

In Ohio, though, wide race gaps persist even on a level economic field.

Average passing rates among affluent white students last year topped those of affluent black students by 16 percentage points. Poor, white students outperformed black students from poor and wealthy families.

Disparities between races had been narrowing until about five years ago, data show, but the numbers have changed little since then.