The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2024 “Changing the Odds” report found that despite some changes since 2019, Atlantans still face racial inequities across education, housing and income.
At a May 2 convening in the Loudermilk Center officials from the foundation and around Atlanta gathered to break down the data revealed in the 2024 report. The “Changing the Odds: Comprehensive Solutions for Atlanta’s Future” series kicked off in 2015 to track neighborhood, education and economic data by race.
The Casey Foundation, a Baltimore-based national private philanthropy group, conducts the series through its Atlanta Civic Site to look at solutions for racial inequity through public and private partnerships.
“We knew we needed a companion report for Atlanta, why?” Janelle Williams, co-founder and CEO of the Atlanta Wealth Building initiative, said at the morning conference.
Williams pointed to Atlanta as both a pillar of the Civil Rights Movement and the “economic engine of the South.” The city has the highest density of Fortune 500 companies in the south.
“When the south has something to say, people pay attention to what Atlanta says and what Atlanta does,” Williams said.
The 2024 report revealed some positive shifts — Atlanta Public School have reached an all time high school graduation rate high at 87 percent in 2023 and shrinking gaps for Black and Latino students. The number of Atlanta Public School students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses has also increased in recent years.
Still, Advanced Placement course availability isn’t evenly distributed across the 16 APS high schools. Ten schools in the district have more than 90 percent Black students, but each of those schools offers fewer than 10 AP courses.
Students who take Advanced Placement courses and pass the related assessment can get college credit for the course, meaning one less course to take and pay for in college. But the foundation’s Atlanta Civic Site senior associate Dr. Rubye Sullivan said simply adding more AP courses isn’t enough, since a lack of resources in early education leaves many students with low reading proficiency.
“So we know we must begin early with yearly ramps for access to advanced coursework,” Sullivan said.
It’s one of several areas in which the Casey Foundation reported disparities. The population has shifted since 2015, with Black residents now making up a plurality rather than a majority as the white population has grown.
Other key findings showed that Atlanta’s income, savings and delinquent debt disparities have produced the second-lowest economic mobility numbers in the country. Atlanta also struggles with affordable housing. In 2021 alone, the city fell more than 105,000 units short of meeting existing demand.
For the existing homeless, the median price hovers around $357,000 compared to the national price of $372,000. The foundation report said housing prices are a challenge for the city of 55 percent renter occupants.
Yet the Casey Foundation keeps its focus on solutions in the city. Lisa Hamilton, president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and an Atlanta native, was optimistic in her convention remarks.
“I believe Atlanta is the greatest city in the world, and it’s certainly a city with tremendous promise,” Hamilton said. “For decades, Atlanta has shown the world what can happen when people come together to promote justice, fairness and equity.”
In the years since the first “Changing the Odds” report in 2015, Hamilton said things have changed for the better. Graduation rates have risen across all demographics, employment has grown, and Black residents have seen the highest rates of employment yet.
“These are amazing steps forward and they fill me with hope and there is still work that needs to be done,” Hamilton said.
The president said every child, no matter their zip code, race or circumstance deserves the opportunity to realize their highest potential.
“There is no us or them, it’s just we,” Hamilton said.
More on the 2024 Changing the Odds report can be found at aecf.org.
The problem is NOT whether there are enough AP classes offered. The problem is NOT a disparity by race. A 16% pass rate is unacceptable. The problem is that students of all types are not prepared for AP courses, and those that attempt to take classes are not taught well enough to pass AP exams. This is a complete disgrace. Look at the APS data yourselves, seeing as the reporter only wants to suggest racial inequity issues.
https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/cms/lib/GA01000924/Centricity/Domain/10223/APS_AP_Overview_SY2022_2022.10.10.pdf