By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

@StacyBrownMedia

Black and Latino men have the lowest educational attainment in the state, according to a report on developmental education reform by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). Recent state data shows that only 13% of Latino and 16% of Black men between the ages of 22 and 27 have at least a bachelor’s degree, according to the report.

The level of educational attainment of Black and Latino women is nearly double that of their male counterparts.

When it comes to college enrollment and completion, “persistence may be the biggest challenge for Latino and Black men,” with more than half of them leaving college without a degree or transferring.

The State Legislature implemented Assembly Bill 705, a law that mandated reforms in developmental education. The reforms allowed historically underrepresented students such as Black and Latino Men to use community colleges as a primary gateway to higher education. The data also revealed that Black and Latino men lag in educational attainment compared to White and Asian students.

“The implications of the growing racial gap in bachelor’s degree attainment are significant, considering that a growing share of California’s future labor force will come from these groups,” the report stated regarding the future contributions of Black and Latino men.

In California, community colleges are the primary access point to higher education for Black and Latino students. Most underrepresented students transfer to a four-year institution to attain a bachelor’s degree. However, state data shows that transfer rates remain low among Black and Latino male students, and few students succeed in their goal to transfer and pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Despite the low college graduation rates among Black and Latino students, AB705 has helped reform developmental education. The study recommended that institutions of higher learning create and implement initiatives that help connect students to academic and student services, including resources that cultivate a broader sense of belonging for men of color.