UCLA

In recent years Black male students have become the focus of an expanding body of research. However, despite the increase of research pertaining to Black male students, entrenched academic outcome disparities remain, with Black male students often relegated to the lowest ends of performance outcomes. Applying a Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Black Critical Theory (BlackCrit) framework, this sequential qualitative study examines high-performing Black male students at two low-performing high schools. This approach resists the tendency of educational research to hyper-focus on Black male students' underperformance by implementing an asset-based examination while still properly contending with the challenging realities present in Black male students' collective experience. This research study uses focus group and individual interview data collected from student participants and nominated adult participants to examine the experiences of high-performing Black male students concerning their race, gender, and performance status. Additionally, this study pointedly investigates how antiblackness is present within participants' experiences, school practices, and policies. Findings elucidate nuanced challenges facing participants and provide insight into resourcing, techniques, and supports responsive to their particularity as high-performing Black male students attending schools that struggle to promote the academic excellence of their overall student population.