What defines a minority?

minority, a culturally, ethnically, or racially distinct group that coexists with but is subordinate to a more dominant group. As the term is used in the social sciences, this subordinacy is the chief defining characteristic of a minority group. As such, minority status does not necessarily correlate to population.

How do standardized tests discriminate?

For example, test scores correlate with family income, which means the higher one’s family income, the higher one’s test score. Meanwhile, high school GPAs have no correlation to family income. SAT and ACT scores show large and growing demographic disparities by race, gender, and family incomes.

What is a minority student?

Minority students—those who do not belong to a region’s or nation’s majority racial or ethnic group—may be subject to discrimination, whether sanctioned or passive, that can affect their educational achievement.

What is an example of a minority?

But in the 1990s, the term “minority” usually refers to four major racial and ethnic groups: African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. This transformation of America’s racial and ethnic profile is most visible in certain states and communities.

When was standardized testing first used?

1838-1890 | Standardized Testing Arrives in American Schools American educators begin articulating ideas that would soon be translated into the formal assessment of student achievement.

What challenges do minority groups face?

Minorities often face discrimination and exclusion, and they struggle to gain access to their human rights, even under conditions of full and unquestioned citizenship. Denying or stripping them of citizenship can be an effective method of compounding their vulnerability, and can even lead to mass expulsion.

What does minority mean in race?

An ethnic minority is a group of people who differ in race or color or in national, religious, or cultural origin from the dominant group — often the majority population — of the country in which they live.

What are minority rights and why are they important?

The protection of minority rights began with the aim of preventing conflicts. These rights were not designed to separate people, nor are they meant to support secessionist movements, as some governments fear. They aim to protect groups who lack power and individuals within those groups such as women.