Academic success of at-risk African American male students who receive culturally relevant teaching, college readiness preparation, and mentorshi

This quantitative study analyzed archival data to determine whether a significant difference existed in the reading comprehension scores and student success (enrollment in honors and or advanced placement classes and college after graduation) of at-risk African American male students who received Advancement via Individual Determination/African American Male Initiative (AVID/AAMI) learning modalities and those who did not. The sample consisted of 134 at-risk African American male students from a California school district. A descriptive comparative research design provided effectiveness in gathering and analyzing data to find the differences between the two groups. The results of an ANCOVA test and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests indicated no significant difference (F = .054, P = .817) between the mean gain reading comprehension scores of 11th grade at-risk African American male students who received AAMI/AVID learning methodologies and those who did not. However, a significant difference did exist (P = .000, chi-square = 24.605) between the two instructional approaches (AAMI/AVID learning methodologies and non-AAMI/AVID learning methodologies), which indicated a high association between AAMI/AVID learning methodologies and enrollment into more rigorous courses such as advanced placement and or honors classes: X2(1) = 7.410a, p (.006) ≤ .05. Although a final research question (Is there a difference in the number of students enrolled in college after graduation of at-risk African American male students who received CRP and those who did not during 2010-2013?) could not be answered due to lack of available data, teachers and or administrators of the AAMI/AVID program in the district recorded that 90% of the at-risk African American male students who received AAMI/AVID learning methodologies enrolled in college after graduation. Practical implications for this study suggested that professional development (PD) of AAMI/AVID learning methodologies is an essential factor in effective implementation of AAMI/AVID learning methodologies, and these methodologies can yield positive results for at-risk African American male students.