The Challenge We Face
Factor 3: Education gaps for an increasingly diverse population
The share of students in Minnesota high schools who are not white will grow to one in five by 2015.
Source: Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates by State and Race/Ethnicity, 1992 to 2022, Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education
The share of low-income students will grow as well. But students of color and low-income students of any race or ethnicity have gaps in academic achievement, enrollment and completion. For example, there are gaps for Minnesota students taking standardized tests starting in elementary school.
Source: The Nation’s Report Card, National Center for Educational Statistics
And even when you look at students with the same academic ability, national research has found a sizeable gap in college enrollment for low-income students. These gaps affect the success of these students and hinder the state’s ability to grow its skilled workforce.
Source: Education Pays Update 2007 (click on PDF in right sidebar, see p. 30-31), College Board
