Although academic performance is a concern, African American students represent less than 8 percent of California's K-12 students, and at times get lost in California policy debates about improving student performance. Findings of this study indicate that: (1) California's African American students are concentrated in relatively few counties and districts; (2) Raising overall African American student achievement is a work in progress (achievement in English and math has improved since 2003, but remain below grade level averages of Asian and white peers; African American male students experience less high school and post-secondary success than their female peers; African American students are over-represented in Special Education and alternative high school programs); (3) Local outcomes for African American students vary widely across the state; and (4) Improving the academic achievement and attainment of California's African American students should become a higher state priority. Three tables are appended: (1) Student Achievement on Grades 2-7 Math CSTs in 2006-07, by Ethnicity; (2) Student Participation and Achievement on the Grade 8 Algebra I CST in 2003 and 2007, by Ethnicity; and (3) Student Participation and Achievement on the Grade 11 Summative High School Math CST in 2003 and 2007, by Ethnicity. (Contains 10 figures.) [For summary, see ED501366.]