Access to higher education

The data from a recent study, “The State of Latinos in Higher Education in California,” by the Campaign for College Opportunity are extremely disturbing.

Among the state’s adult population over 25 years old, fewer than 11% of Latinos have earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

In jarring contrast, about 40% of Latinos over 25 have only earned a high school diploma.

The irony is that Latinos, who comprise 38% of California’s total population and 47% of the population between 18 to 24 years of age, have improved their graduation rates from high school.

The rate of admissions to higher education institutions has also increased over the last few years: now seven in 10 Latino high school graduates are admitted to a community college or university.

The problem is that most of them enroll in those two-year colleges and their transfer rates to four-year institutions are dismal. Let’s not even mention the very low university graduation rates as well.

Clearly, there is a gap in support for Latinos who successfully graduate from high school and hope to continue with their studies. Hence, the report’s recommendation focus on providing more resources to institutions that can provide services, including more funds for overcrowded community colleges and for the Cal Grant scholarship program.

We support these recommendations, especially the one that calls for the creation of a master plan for higher education for California’s youth.

This is an imperative if we expect them to be a driving force for the state’s economy for decades to come.

We urge state and local leaders to get involved in this master plan. The future of California depends on it.