A Seat at the Table - African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education - Third Report in a Three-Part Series

Oct 15, 2026

A Seat at the Table presents African American youth perceptions of K-12 education and the role they should play in reform. UNCF explains that college attainment depends on receiving a quality K-12 education and that changes require youth as central participants. The foreword highlights youth engagement, self-efficacy, and concerns about how race and college costs limit opportunities. It frames the report as the third series installment addressing barriers and barriers-aware insights from students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Introduction

Study Scope and Methods

Key Findings

Recommendations

Implications and Call to Action

Conclusion

Appendix

Endnotes

A SEAT AT THE TABLE: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education UNCF Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute A SEAT AT THE TABLE: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education Author: Meredith B. L. Anderson, Ph. D. A Seat at the Table: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education is the third report in a three-part series on African American perceptions of K-12 education. Done to Us, Not With Us: African American Parents Perceptions of K-12 Education was the inaugural report, Lift Every Voice and Lead: African American Leaders’ Perceptions on K-12 Education Reform was the second report in the series. Acknowledgments The author would like to thank MEE Productions, Inc. , for collecting the data that was utilized in this report; members of the UNCF team, including Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO; Dr. Brian Bridges, vice president of research and member engagement; Adam Kemp, print and digital publications manager; Steve Rosa, project management director, who provided valuable feedback and edits on previous drafts; and Sekou Biddle, vice president for K-12 advocacy and Naomi Shelton, director of K-12 advocacy, for their dedication and advocacy for an equitable education for black students. Bloomberg Philanthropies ([www.bloomberg.org](www.bloomberg.org)) generously funded the research for this monograph. Suggested citation: Anderson, Meredith, B. L. (2018) . A Seat at the Table: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education , Washington, DC: UNCF. © 2018 by UNCF. All rights reserved. Table of Contents Foreword ........................................................................ 3 Introduction ................................................................... 5 Study Scope and Methods ............................................ 6 Key Findings .................................................................. 6 Recommendations ...................................................... 15 Implications and Call to Action.................................. 18 Conclusion ................................................................... 19 Appendix ...................................................................... 20 Endnotes ...................................................................... 21 A S EAT AT THE TABLE: AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH’S PERCEPTIONS OF K-12 EDUCATION 02 Foreword For the last several years, UNCF has been committed to improving the schools our children attend before college. The reason is simple: increasing the number of African Americans receiving college degrees depends in large measure on whether students receive a quality K-12 education that prepares them for college coursework and college success. And, for just as long, we have been pointing out that necessary changes in K-12 education will not take place unless those who will be the primary beneficiaries of better education, including youth of color, are central participants in the reform process. Without their participation, it will be impossible to ensure that changes are efficacious, impossible to build the community consensus that effective and durable reform requires and impossible to keep those who stand to benefit the most from reform from feeling that reform is being done to them and not with them. This report, A Seat at the Table: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education , is the third in a series that probes community reactions to K-12 education; its two predecessors, Lift Every Voice and Lead: African American Leaders’Perceptions of K-12 Education Reform , and Done to Us, Not With Us: African American Parent Perceptions of K-12 Education , addressed the roles that should be played by parents and community leaders. The role to be played by youth is just as important. They are, after all, the stakeholders whose response to reform will determine if it succeeds or fails. Of the three groups, they are the only one with firsthan

FAQs

Why does UNCF emphasize improving K-12 education before college?

UNCF links increasing the number of African Americans earning college degrees to students receiving a quality K-12 education that prepares them for college coursework and success.

What does the foreword say about youth participation in education reform?

It argues that youth must be central participants because they are primary beneficiaries and have firsthand knowledge of what happens in classrooms.

What barriers to educational aspirations are highlighted by the youth in the report?

The foreword notes that youth are concerned their race limits opportunities and that post-secondary education costs are a major barrier; some also report not understanding how to pay for college.

Oct 15, 2026

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