Consistency is key: Understanding academic socialization among high-achieving Black boys

Despite the racial achievement gap, many Black adolescent boys excel in school. Academic socialization is one way that parents can contribute to these youths' success. However, only a few studies have examined the specific ways that Black parents support their sons' high achievement. To address this gap, we used a multi-wave, multi-informant, mixed-method design to examine the conversations, rules, and after school routines of 12 Black boys and their primary caregivers. First, using latent class growth curve analyses, boys were grouped into a high-achieving or low-achieving group according to their average grade in Math and English across 5 assessments from 6th to 11th grade. Then, using content analysis, we analyzed semi-structured interviews from these families for evidence of academic socialization. Drawing on the Stage Setting Framework, we found that parents of high-achieving Black boys engaged in four types of academic socialization practices that facilitated their children's academic success.