The achievement gap is defined as the disparity between student achievement groups, particularly groups defined by gender, race/ethnicity, ability, and socioeconomic status. The achievement gap can be observed across a variety of measures, including standardized test scores, grade point averages, dropout rates, college enrollment and completion rates. The achievement gap between whites and blacks is a critical issue in the education system of modern society. Although the data on the issue clearly indicate that the racial performance gap exists in the areas of standardized testing, graduation rates, dropout rates, and continuing education enrollment, the causal reasons for the gap are ambiguous, thus presenting a significant challenge as far as most subjects are concerned. effective way to bridge the gap. The gap appears before children enter kindergarten and persists into adulthood (Jencks 1998). Since 1970 the gap has decreased by about 40%, but has steadily increased since then. Theories suggest that the achievement gap between blacks and whites is created by a multitude of social, cultural, and economic factors, as well as educational opportunities and/or learning experiences. Factors such as biased testing, discrimination by teachers, test anxiety among black students, black-white disparities in income or family structure, and genetic and cultural differences between blacks and whites have all been explored as explanations for the achievement gap between black and white. Farkas 2004). The research that follows will elaborate on these factors as they influence the decline in Black male academic achievement, particularly Black male literacy achievement. Within the black and white achievement gap lies a subgroup whose academic performance is disturbing... middle of paper...disparity between the two ethnic communities that can be traced to the legacy of slavery and other forms of oppression that blacks have endured." Proponents of this view believe that educational achievement correlates more strongly with economic status than with any other single variable. Since most of the black community lags behind whites in terms of income and wealth, educational inequalities are caused by economic inequalities. They believe that once inequalities disappear, educational disparities will also disappear. Many argue that this is not a valid argument. They point to other minority groups such as Asians, some of whom are financially worse off than blacks, and excel in school that since civil rights legislation had removed all obstacles in the 1960s and 1970s, something else must be contributing to the great divide.