New From Brookings: The Contribution of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Upward Mobility

January 25, 2017

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The attainment gap between black and white high school students has been closing slowly over time. However, these gaps remain wide at the postsecondary level. A recent article from the Brookings Institution highlights new data from the Equal Opportunity Project to demonstrate how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) act as engines of upward mobility for black students in higher education.

Examining data from tax records, HBCUs perform better than the average postsecondary institution in catapulting students from the lowest quintile into the top quintile as adults. This piece explains the important role HBCUs play in higher education and how they contribute to closing the attainment gap.

To read the full article, see the Brookings website.


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