Investing in Higher Education for Latinos

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the nation, yet they have the lowest college graduation rates. Improving these rates has become an important issue for all states. The educational success of Latino students is a key component in ensuring thriving and stable state economies.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is helping state legislators become more aware of the trends and issues surrounding Latino college success. NCSL is facilitating a discussion of effective policy strategies that serve these students by bringing policymakers and educators together from across the country.

As a part of this effort, NCSL is releasing two new briefs at its 37th annual Legislative Summit in San Antonio. One brief, Investing in Higher Education for Latinos: Trends in Latino College Access and Success offers an overview of the achievement gaps in each state and highlights the areas that could be targeted to improve Latino student success. This brief also provides state-by-state demographic and education-related data.

Investing in Higher Education for Latinos: Payoffs for State Economies focuses on how improving college completion rates for Latino students can be a catalyst for strengthening economies. An interactive map depicts where the Latino population grew the fastest in the past decade—primarily in the South and in the East. The map also provides a snapshot of the 50 states in terms of job forecasts, workforce profiles and education levels.