The Achievement Gap Initiative


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This scholar is one of a number of scholars at Harvard and other leading universities whose research focuses on the nation's achievement gaps. These scholars represent a cross section of academic disciplines--Education, Economics, Public and Social Policy, Sociology and Law. They represent the broad base of research and knowledge necessary to understanding the complex issues contributing to Achievement Gaps.

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Jelani Mandara, Associate Professor, Human Development and Social Policy

Northwestern University

Scholar's website

Jelani Mandara is a Family and Developmental Psychologist. His primary research examines the nature and effects of socialization, father’s involvement, and how they interact with gender, race, and SES to impact youths’ academic and social development. His current projects examine the effects of parenting styles on Black, Latino, and White American youth’s academic achievement, sexual activity and behavioral problems. He is also in the process of creating a comprehensive and culturally relevant measure of parenting called the Socialization and Family Environment Scale (SAFE). Further interests include socialization differences between teachers and parents, the achievement gap, and typological or person-centered research methods. He regularly teaches courses and conducts workshops on African American child and adolescent development. He and his wife Keisha are known to test his theories on their three sons, with promising results thus far.

Papers on the AGI website:

2006	Intergenerational Predictors of the Black-White Achievement Gap in Adolescence
Feb 2007	PARENTING STYLES AND ACHIEVEMENT The effects of parenting styles on adolescent achievement test scores: Ethnic and gender differences (and similarities)

Video presentations on the AGI website:

June 2006	Intergenerational Predictors of the Black-White Achievement Gap in Adolescence
November 2006	Does Parenting Contribute to Achievement Gaps?