Includes bibliographical references and index.

A dream deferred : how trauma impacts the academic achievement of African-American youth / Larry J. Walker & Ramon Goings -- Addressing racism's effects on African American males from womb to classroom / Roland J. Thorpe, Jr , Derek M. Griffith, Marino A. Bruce & Lawrence Brown -- Drinking and learning while black : the effect of family problem drinking on children's later educational attainment / Stacey Houston -- Anxiety and grade retention among African American and Caribbean black adolescents / Theda Rose, Nadine M. Finigan-Carr & Sean Joe -- Community violence, adolescent aggression and academic achievement / Nadine M. Finigan-Carr & Tanya L. Sharpe -- Schools as re-traumatizing environments / Wendy E. Shaia & Shanda C. Crowder -- Peace, be still : black educators coping with constant school reforms in Philadelphia / Camika Royal -- Promoting culturally responsive practice to reduce disparities in school discipline among African American students / Katrina J. Debnam, Jessika H. Bottiani & Catherine Bradshaw -- On some types and consequences of afterschool activities in low-Income neighborhoods / Brad Lian.

The linkages between a student’s health and a student’s ability to learn have been well established. Children who are sick stay home; and, children at home cannot learn if they are not in school leading to increased dropout rates among other educational outcomes. However, an understanding of this concept is just the beginning of understanding how education and public health are inextricably linked.

In light of this, Linking Health and Education for African American Students’ Success examines health disparities and education inequities simultaneously and moves beyond a basic understanding of health and education in K-12 school programs. The structural inequalities which lead to reduced academic attainment mirror the social determinants of health. Education is one of the most powerful determinants of health, and disparities in educational achievement as a result of structural inequalities closely track disparities in health. These disparities lead to both sub-standard healthcare and reduced academic attainment among children from underserved minorities in the United States, especially African Americans.