Ringler, MarjorieHartness, Amanda J.2012-09-042013-10-312012http://hdl.handle.net/10342/3990Closing the Achievement Gap is one of the nation's top education reform topics today. Despite many education reform efforts, the academic achievement of African American students continues to lag behind that of white students. In efforts to improve minority student achievement, some schools and organizations have created affinity groups to increase student self-efficacy and connectedness to school. This research study examined the potential impact racial affinity groups had on African American student achievement at the elementary school level in one district.  185 p.dissertations, academicEducational leadershipAchievement gapRacial affinity groupRacial identityAchievement motivation in childrenAcademic achievementAfrican American studentsAfrican Americans--Education (Elementary)Doctoral Dissertation