Young Men of Color, Educational Experiences of

Background

As of 2008, only 41.6% of all the 25- to 34-year-olds in the United States had attained an associate degree or higher. Only 30.3% of African Americans and 19.8% of Latinos ages 25 to 34 had attained an associate degree or higher in the United States, compared to 49.0% for White Americans and 70.7% for Asian Americans. The White American percentage of the total U.S. population has declined over the last 29 years from 68% in 1989 to 64% in 2010. In 2011, for the first time in U.S. history, more minorities than White Americans were born in the United States. With this in mind, the goal of increasing the global competitiveness of the United States cannot be met without the participation of minority citizens.

Just as significant as the college completion gaps that exist for minorities in the United States is the gender gap that persists in college completion. Historically, the term gender gap has been used to refer to the inherent advantages that men have in society, identifying how women have generally lagged in educational achievement. Recent trends indicate, however, that the term is developing a new connotation, generally describing how women are outperforming men in terms of educational achievement and attainment in society. Although men still far outpace women in compensation and in some fields such as physics and computer science, there is some evidence that in many areas the traditional gaps are shrinking and, in educational attainment at least, women are outpacing men. In fact, women are driving the college completion rate of the entire nation, and the declining performance of men is reducing the ability of the United States to be a global leader in education.

Research on Educational Experiences in High School

Connecting young men of color to college success and opportunity hinges first and foremost on their successful completion of high school. The experiences and outcomes for young men of color at this stage in the educational pipeline often fail to position them for postsecondary success. In developing a basic picture of these students in high school, this [Page 2326]entry gives particular attention to three areas: achievement, persistence, and support.

Many similarities in the area of achievement have been found among males belonging to racial and ethnic groups of color. According to this research, low academic achievement, frequent grade repetition, and overpopulation in special education programs are all factors that impede the academic achievement of African American, Latino, and Native American males. Further, African American males are underrepresented in gifted programs, and Native American males often do not have access to a core academic curriculum. While Asian Americans have high academic achievement in general, this high achievement also masks the myriad problems faced by Asian American males. This is especially true for Southeast Asians.

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