The Power of Role Models

"The Obama Effect" is what researchers are calling it.  The performance gap between African-Americans and whites on a 20-question test administered before Obama's nomination disappeared in tests given after Obama's acceptance speech and again after the presidential election.  Apparently, the model set by the president helped blacks overcome stereotypes that lowers their proficiency on tests.  Although the research by Ray Friedman, David Marx and Sei Jin Ko has not undergone peer review, academics are generally viewing the results as encouraging.

That could very, very good news for all of us, especially urban school districts.  It also could help achieve the Talent Dividend of $124 billion annually, which is the effect of improving college attainment by just one percentage point in each of the top 51 metro area of the U.S.

"The time has come to put away childish things..."

  

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