Communities of color look within for solutions to the academic achievement gap

THERE is a growing consensus among business leaders that what continues to hamper the economic vitality and freedom in communities of color is the gap in academic achievement, especially for Hispanic and African-American children.

Recently, the King County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Urban Enterprise Center launched an education initiative targeting community-based solutions that seek to foster a culture of opportunity, empower parents, and recognize our interdependence when it comes to our children's education.

The message has shifted. This is not a call for more government programs. While public-education reform is important, if we are to bring economic benefits to our communities we need to first examine the investments we are making in our own homes, and how, as community and business leaders, we can develop resources and incentives to better engage parents in their children's education.

Asian students tend to perform well academically relative to their peers. We can learn from many in the Asian community and the values that they instill in their children at an early age. Education excellence is expected, valued and modeled by parents and the community at large.

No one denies that challenges exist, such as language barriers and family breakdown. Despite obstacles, taking action can mean measured success. Recently, Latino leaders met with Bellevue School District officials to talk about how to better engage parents to attend parent-teacher conferences.

We called on key Latino community and religious leaders to talk about the importance of parents being engaged in their children's education and the language divide was addressed within school communication. The results were immediate and positive.

But what was most valuable was that the solutions originated within the Latino community for Latino children and their families. That is the spirit of true empowerment. It is also a powerful tool to dispel the myths and negative stereotypes about the Latino community.

The growing realization that educational excellence and economic development are one issue means the business community must also fill a pivotal role.

I was recently asked if I could do one thing for the Latino community what would it be? My answer was to have early-education options that foster the parent-child bond and ensure that every Latino child entering first grade can speak English.

Latino- and African American-owned businesses are implementing practical solutions and making key investments in education. Craig Dawson, president and CEO of Retail Lockbox Inc., and Cos Roberts, president and CEO of UrbanTech Systems, offer paid internships. Nyasha Tunduwani, CEO of Siyana Business Technology Solutions, provides tuition reimbursements, and Lewis Rudd, president of Ezell's Famous Chicken, supports extended learning opportunities for his employees through supplemental income.

Companies are making education excellence a corporate value. Rita Santillanes, owner of Best Western Peppertree Inns, promotes and raises money for college and vocational scholarships for Latinos and offers employees paid leave for volunteering with charitable organizations.

More can be done. Employer-based incentives for parents to learn English and a homework-incentive campaign can work right now. Building awareness for vocational and apprenticeship programs and making sure parents can access these programs; creating partnerships with faith institutions for early-education and child-care programs as an option for low-income families; advocating for a stronger emphasis on math and science and for cultural awareness in the public schools — are all solutions right in front of us.

Research shows that Latinos and African Americans have lower academic achievement across the social class spectrum. That must change for the sake of our economic future. The ideas and solutions are numerous and found within our own families and communities. That is how we create a culture of opportunity.