ABSTRACT
Black children's low academic achievement has been a persistent concern of contemporary child development research and intervention. There was a time, in the not too distant past, when child developmentalists were certain of the solutions for black children's academic achievement problems. Local school districts would be desegregated—thus eliminating racial isolation and inequitable school financing policies. Developmental and learning theories, social intervention strategies, and modernized instructional technology would be deployed simultaneously with the assistance of massive governmental funding. The deficits of educational organizations and practices, along with those of black children, would be radically altered.
