The Effects Of Africentric United States History Curriculum On Black Student Achievement

Abstract

Relationships between United States History curriculum design, self-efficacy, and test achievement of eighth-grade students and parents in the KIPP:STAR College Preparatory Charter School were examined in this study.  An online questionnaire developed for the study, the Parental Questionnaire for United States History Curriculum, was pilot tested, revised, and used to collect data.  Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS (v.19) software.  Descriptive statistics and frequencies regarding curricular design, test achievement, and self-efficacy were examined.  Results revealed a need for an Africentric United States history curriculum, which by definition is more inclusive and comprehensive than the normative Eurocentric curriculum.  The mixed-method study indicated that relationships exist between curricular design and test achievement and between curricular design and self-efficacy.