Math lag studied in black, Latino boys

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- A U.S. study suggests patterns of inequality in math among black and Latino boys at the end of high school can't be explained by early performance.

Using new national data from the 1990s, Catherine Riegle-Crumb and colleagues at the University of Texas-Austin explored how black and Latino males fared in high school math classes compared with their female counterparts.

While black males aren't encouraged by high grades in freshman math classes, the scientists determined black females are able to overcome potentially demoralizing scores.

"Compared with white males, African-American and Latino males receive lower returns from taking Algebra I during their freshman year, reaching lower levels of the math course sequence when they begin in the same position," Riegle-Crumb said.

Although black and Latino groups have lower enrollment rates in math courses than whites or Asian-Americans, she said attrition was unexpectedly high even among those who began in comparable positions.

Her findings support the idea that minority students might be less responsive to institutional feedback whether positive or negative.

The research appears in the November issue of the American Journal of Education.