Blacks Show Solid Progress in High School Completions

The latest data from the U.S. Department of Education contains good news on black progress in high school graduations.

In 2007, 88.8 percent of African Americans ages 18 to 24 had completed high school or had obtained a high school equivalency certificate. This percentage was up significantly from 84.8 percent in 2006. Whites also improved their rate of high school completions. In 2007, 93.5 percent of 18- to 24-year-old whites had completed high school. This was up from 92.6 percent in 2006.

The racial gap of 4.7 percentage points in high school completions is the smallest in U.S. history. Thirty years ago the gap was 14 percentage points. A decade ago the gap was about 8 percentage points.

Copyright © 2009. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.