Analyzing the Racial Discourse of the L.A. College and Career Readiness Act

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Abstract

The Louisiana College and Career Readiness Act (2009) was developed to better prepare youth for the state's future workforce needs. However, the influence of race is ignored in the creation and implementation of this policy. The purpose of this paper is to examine the act through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT), specifically focusing on the tenets of interest-convergence theory and the critique of liberalism. Through this analysis, three themes from the policy were discovered: the avoidance of race, the focus on Eurocentric values, and the lack of timeline and funding. Given these themes, disparities in college and career access may continue to persist in Louisiana and other states with similar colorblind policies for college and career readiness.

Author

• Albion Sumrell, Linked Learning Alliance