IntroductionThe goal of the modern education system is to educate all students, regardless of ethnicity, race, religious affiliation, gender, socio-economic status, etc., to that they become productive citizens of the United States of America (Archung, 2006). The socialization process is part of the goal statement of the modern public education system; prepare our students for the dynamically changing world they will inherit and the unforeseen challenges of tomorrow (Archung, 2006). In addition to the definitive standard definition of the purpose of the educational process, since post-civil rights approximately 60 years ago and the desegregation of public schools in the United States, much research has been conducted to address the educational gaps within the system among African countries. American students and their Caucasian counterparts (Clotfelter, 2004). Above all other elements of diversity, namely socio-economic, religious, gender and sexual orientations, the issue that generates the most debate is that which exists between black and white students in public schools. To further the argument and build on the principle of the goal of the education system, which is to educate all students and prepare them for the modern world, the demographics of the United States are also in a state of change constant (Pollard and Jacobsen, 2011). Data collected from the 2010 U.S. Census illustrates a paradigm shift in the racial composition of the United States. One of the regions in question, Central Appalachia, a region made up of states such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, parts of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as the northern parts of Mississippi, Alabama and G... ... middle of paper ...... freshman college retention. This qualitative research proposal will employ the use of exploratory design as a research method. Additionally, participants will include those identified as racial minorities, African Americans, ranging in grades 9-12, as well as freshmen enrolled at select surrounding universities located in area schools in question, the central Appalachians. The exploratory design was selected for its nature of investigating phenomena that are either questions that have not yet been explored or require further research (Cresswell, 2014). Furthermore, both the method and design were chosen with the goal of exposing and gaining knowledge about the issue at hand, bridging the academic achievement gaps between African American students and their (Caucasian) counterparts. Central Appalachia..