Looking at data by race and ethnicity can provide a better understanding of education performance and outcomes than examining statistics that describe all students. In observation of Black History Month, this blog presents NCES findings on the learning experiences of Black students throughout their education careers as well as the characteristics of Black teachers and faculty.
K–12 Education
- Students
- Of the 49.4 million students enrolled in public preK–12 schools in fall 2020, 7.4 million were Black students.
- In 2019–2020, some 9 percent of private school students were Black non-Hispanic.
- In 2019, some 51 percent of Black 8th-grade students were in a school that reported offering a programming class. Eighty-four percent of Black 8th-grade students were in a school that offered algebra classes that were equivalent to high school algebra classes.
- Of the 49.4 million students enrolled in public preK–12 schools in fall 2020, 7.4 million were Black students.
- Teachers
- In 2017–18, about 7 percent of all public school teachers self-identified as Black, compared with 3 percent of all private school teachers.
- Twelve percent of all female career or technical education (CTE) public school teachers were Black women in 2017–18.
- In 2017–18, about half of Black or African American teachers (51 percent) taught in city schools, compared with 31 percent of all teachers.
- Black or African American teachers had a higher rate of post-master's degree education (13 percent) than did all teachers (9 percent) in 2017–18.
- In 2017–18, about two-thirds (66 percent) of Black or African American teachers taught in the South, compared with 39 percent of all teachers.
- In 2017–18, about 7 percent of all public school teachers self-identified as Black, compared with 3 percent of all private school teachers.
Postsecondary Education
- Students
- Female enrollment at HBCUs has been higher than male enrollment in every year since 1976.
- In fall 2019, nearly 2.5 million Black students were enrolled in a degree-granting postsecondary institution, compared with the 1.0 million who were enrolled in fall 1976.
- In 2019–20, postsecondary institutions awarded 55,642 STEM degrees/certificates to Black students.
- Female enrollment at HBCUs has been higher than male enrollment in every year since 1976.
- Faculty and Institutions
- In fall 2019, there were 27,323 full-time Black female faculty members at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, compared with 19,874 Black male faculty members.
- In fall 2020, there were 101 degree-granting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) located in the 50 states, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands—52 public institutions and 49 private nonprofit institutions.
- In fall 2019, there were 27,323 full-time Black female faculty members at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, compared with 19,874 Black male faculty members.
By Kyle Argueta, AIR
