Equity Challenges for Community and Technical College Programs and Students

2014

D. PrincePolicy Research Director State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

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Community and Technical colleges are the major post-secondary entry point for students of color.

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Our students from under-represented* groups are the lowest socioeconomic status (SES) students we serve.

*Smallest % of population 25+with education beyond high school as reported in American Community Survey

• SES is presented as the ratio of percentage of students in the lowest quintile vs. the highest quintile. A ratio is 1.0 means a student is equally likely to be from either group. When the ratio is higher than 1.0, a student is more likely to be from the lowest quintile.

• While SES is not based on race/ethnicity, it is not entirely separate from it. The odds are 3 times as likely that we are serving a Black/African American student from the lowest quintile. Conversely an Asian student is more likely to be from the highest SES quintile.

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Equity gaps in access and success

• Prof-Tech: Greater tendency to enroll in training in low-wage fields results in lower earnings for under-represented students when they graduate.

• Academic Transfer: Lower two-year degree completion rates turn into lower transfer rates for under-represented student groups.

• BEdA: Highest access point for lowest SES students. Less transition to college for students coming from under-represented populations.

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Under-represented students do not appear to pursue prof-tech programs based upon potential earnings for graduates • Half or more of training programs have wages the above

$20/hr median hrly wage.• Whites and Asians have the highest proportions (about 4:1)

of students in higher wage vs. lower wage programs.• Black/African Americans have the lowest proportion (about

2:1). They are more likely to enroll in training for lower wage jobs.

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Earnings for prof-tech 2012-13 graduates

Differences in quarterly earnings align with earlier education program selections

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Under-represented students less likely to earn a transfer degree.

Students from high SES are more likely than low SES to leave with a transfer degree

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Not having a transfer degree lowers chance of transfer most significantly for under-represented and low SES students

 

% All Degree Exiters Enrolled Next Year at Next Level 

% All Exiters, No Degree Enrolled Next Year at Next Level

White  51% 20%Black or African American 51% 14%American Indian and Alaskan Native 47% 12%Asian 58% 25%Native Hawaiian and  Pacific Islander 52% 11%Hispanic 51% 15%Other 54% 20%Ratio to Highest to Lowest SES 1.4 2.5

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BEdA students are the lowest SES students we serve and have higher ratios in under-represented groups

 

White Black/African 

American

American Indian Alaskan Native

Asian

Native Hawaiian   

            Pacific 

Islander

Other Hispanic

Current and Former 2012-13 BEdA Students - Ratio Lowest to Highest SES 

3.2 5.2 7.0 1.6 - 3.1 6.5

All Fall 2013 State Support Students - Ratio Lowest to Highest SES 0.9 3.0 2.1 0.7 1.9 1.7 3.4

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There are substantial differences in who moves beyond basic education

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Questions • Do we start from an equity viewpoint as a system?

• Are our efforts at a large enough scale to increase equity?