Status and Trends in the Education of Racial and Ethnic Groups 2017. NCES 2017-051

Overview & Synopsis

This report uses statistics to examine current conditions and changes over time in education activities and outcomes for different racial/ethnic groups in the United States. This report shows that over time, students in the racial/ethnic groups of White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Two or more races have completed high school and continued their education in college in increasing numbers. Despite these gains, the rate of progress has varied among these racial/ethnic groups and differences by race/ethnicity persist in terms of increases in attainment and progress on key indicators of educational performance. The indicators in this report show that some traditionally disadvantaged racial/ethnic groups have made strides in educational achievement over the past few decades, but that gaps still persist. The report begins with demographic information (Chapter 1) and then is organized roughly according to the chronology of an individual's education, starting with indicators on preprimary, elementary, and secondary participation (Chapter 2), and continuing with student achievement (Chapter 3), student behaviors and persistence in education (Chapter 4), postsecondary education (Chapter 5), and outcomes of education (Chapter 6). The following are appended: (1) Guide to Sources; and (2) Glossary.