Educational Statistics: Some Information Blacks Should Consider

Enrollment in public schools rose from 1985 to 1997. Today, there are approximately 46.3 million students in public elementary and secondary schools. But during that 12 year period, private school enrollment also rose, somewhat slower, but it grew from 5.6 million to 5.9 million students.

In higher education, the figures in public school enrollment rose from 9.4 million in 1980 to 11.2 million in 1997. In private schools, the figures rose from 2.6 million in 1980 to 3.1 million. The trend in both the elementary and secondary education on to higher education is that private schools, while growing, grow at a considerably slower rate.

Between 1987 and 1997 costs at public colleges rose by 20%, while costs at private colleges rose by 31%. The 1996 figures indicate that at public colleges, an undergraduate year would cost $6,534. At private colleges, an undergraduate school year would cost $18,071. These costs give some explanation for why the private schools are growing much slower. However, these figures are for four year universities, not for community colleges.

The costs at community colleges are much lower than the State universities or the UC system for undergraduates. This is true throughout the nation. For example, a three unit course at a community college would cost $45; at a university that same course would cost approximately $500, and that course is transferable to those State universities. This difference results in a number of university students going back to the community colleges and taking more units at the cheaper rate and transferring them to the State universities; it also results in more high school graduates going directly to community colleges first, loading up on as many cheaper units as they can transfer, then going on to the university to finish up their undergraduate studies.

Going to the community college first, earning the cheaper units to transfer to the universities is an economically wise strategy. However, many students and their parents are so enameled with the notion of the named university that they get into them as soon as possible and at great costs.

During the 1970's Black students were more focused in school and more likely to attend college after graduation. Their statistics were in line with the national average. But during the 1990's that trend had reversed itself. The numbers had gone from 45% to 36%. However, there are more Black students attending college today than there were in the 1970's. But there are more blacks and more US citizens today.

Another trend that seems to be emerging is that more Blacks are headed back to the historically Black colleges. These colleges have enhanced themselves considerably from many years ago. The facilities have modernized and the faculty is on par with and often better than many of the public and some of the private schools. Even today, Meharry Medical College produces more black doctors than any other medical school in the nation.

For Blacks ages 25-34, the enrollment rates are higher than the national average--11%, in contrast to a 9% national average. For Blacks ages 35 years and older, their college enrollment doubles the national average of 2% (as compared with 4% for Blacks). It seems that the older Blacks get, the more they realize the need for an education and they go back to school more frequently than others. It would be nice if that wisdom could be transmitted to younger Blacks, especially our Black males engaged in self destructive behavior for the sake of machismo and self expression.

We see that at the 25-29 year old category, there is significant increase in Black educational endeavors. From 1971 to 1997, the percentage of Blacks high school completers rose from 59% to 87%, a national average. There are many reasons to explain this rise--the Civil Right Movement was a significant factor, and most blacks were in the south, in which the Civil Rights Movement born. Thereafter, many of the most brilliant blacks moved north, west, and east. However, there is a movement-trend that is discernable of blacks returning back to the south.

There is a downside to many of these statistics that blacks need to take notice of--our dropout rates of young Blacks is much too high. Students ages 16-24, the dropout rate is 13%. That is above the national average. Female students have a much lower dropout rate however.      Continue