As our classrooms become more diverse, the numbers reveal a complex story of racial dynamics in America's public schools, where disparities in enrollment, achievement, discipline, and funding paint a picture of two very different educational experiences.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2021-22 school year, Black students made up 15.2% of public school enrollment in the United States, totaling approximately 7.6 million students
- Hispanic students comprised 27.4% of U.S. public school enrollment in 2021-22, equating to about 13.8 million students nationwide
- White students accounted for 44.6% of public K-12 enrollment in 2021-22, representing roughly 22.4 million students across the country
- The adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for Black students nationally was 81.0% in 2019-20
- Hispanic students had an ACGR of 82.6% in the U.S. for the class of 2020
- White students achieved an ACGR of 90.2% nationally in 2019-20
- In 2019 NAEP math, 8th grade White students scored 292 average
- Black 8th graders averaged 260 in 2019 NAEP math, 32 points below White peers
- Hispanic 8th grade NAEP math score was 271 in 2019
- In 2017-18, Black students represented 15.1% of public school enrollment but 27.4% of students receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions
- Hispanic students were 27.5% of enrollment but 23.2% of OSS recipients in 2017-18
- White students 46.6% enrollment, 37.5% of OSS in 2017-18 public schools
- In 2019-20, per-pupil current expenditures in majority-Black districts averaged $1,500 less than majority-White
- Majority-Hispanic districts received $1,200 less per pupil than majority-White in 2019-20
- High-poverty (often minority) districts funded $2,200 below low-poverty peers 2019-20
American public schools show persistent racial enrollment, achievement, funding, and discipline disparities.
Academic Achievement by Race
- In 2019 NAEP math, 8th grade White students scored 292 average
- Black 8th graders averaged 260 in 2019 NAEP math, 32 points below White peers
- Hispanic 8th grade NAEP math score was 271 in 2019
- Asian 8th graders scored 305 in NAEP math 2019, highest among groups
- Native American 8th grade NAEP math average was 263 in 2019
- In 2019 NAEP reading, 4th grade White score was 226
- Black 4th graders averaged 198 in 2019 NAEP reading
- Hispanic 4th grade NAEP reading was 205 in 2019
- Pacific Islander 12th graders scored 272 in 2019 NAEP reading
- In California 2018-19, 48.7% of Asian students met math standards, vs 19.2% Black
- Texas STAAR math proficient for White 8th graders was 52% in 2018-19
- New York 3-8 ELA proficient Black students 35.2% in 2018-19
- Florida 2018-19 Grade 10 ELA proficient Hispanic 54%
- Illinois 2018-19 PARCC math proficient Asian 68%
- Georgia Milestones 8th math proficient White 49% in 2018-19
- Michigan M-Step science proficient Black 12% grade 8 2018-19
- Arizona AASA math proficient Native American 22% 2018-19
- Nevada 2018-19 math proficient Hispanic 28%
- New Jersey NJSLA grade 3 ELA proficient Asian 78% 2018-19
- DC 2018-19 PARCC math proficient White 75%
- Louisiana LEAP math proficient Black 20% grade 8 2018-19
- South Carolina SC READY ELA proficient White 52% grade 6 2018-19
- Alabama ACAP math proficient Hispanic 32% 2018-19
- Mississippi MAAP science proficient Asian 65% grade 8 2018-19
- New Mexico NM Alt math proficient Native 15% 2018-19
- Hawaii Smarter Balanced math proficient Pacific Islander 25% 2018-19
- NAEP 2019 12th grade math White 152, Black 122, gap 30 points
- PSAT 10th grade reading proficient Hispanic 42% vs White 64% 2019
- AP exam pass rate Black 42% vs Asian 70% in 2019
Academic Achievement by Race Interpretation
The data paints a stark, infuriatingly predictable portrait where a student's race remains a statistically significant predictor of their academic outcomes, as if our education system is stubbornly checking boxes on a persistent, centuries-old problem rather than erasing them.
Discipline and Suspension by Race
- In 2017-18, Black students represented 15.1% of public school enrollment but 27.4% of students receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions
- Hispanic students were 27.5% of enrollment but 23.2% of OSS recipients in 2017-18
- White students 46.6% enrollment, 37.5% of OSS in 2017-18 public schools
- Black students faced 3.8 times higher OSS rate than White peers per 100 students in 2017-18
- In California 2017-18, Black students 6.4% of enrollment but 18.2% of suspensions
- Texas Black OSS rate 15.2% vs White 4.1% in 2017-18
- New York Hispanic suspensions 25.3% of total in 2017-18
- Florida Black students 21% enrollment, 42% expulsions 2017-18
- Illinois Asian lowest OSS rate 1.2 per 100 in 2017-18
- Georgia Native American OSS 8.5% rate 2017-18
- Michigan Black ISS rate 22.1 per 100 vs White 6.3 in 2017-18
- Arizona Hispanic OSS 9.8% of students affected 2017-18
- Nevada multiracial highest OSS disproportionality 2.1x White rate 2017-18
- New Jersey Black expulsion rate 0.45% vs 0.12% White 2017-18
- DC Hispanic OSS rate 12.3 per 100 in 2017-18
- Louisiana White OSS 5.2%, Black 18.7% 2017-18
- South Carolina Black OSS rate 14.8 per 100 vs Asian 2.1 2017-18
- Alabama Hispanic OSS 7.5% affected 2017-18
- Mississippi Native OSS rate 11.2 per 100 2017-18
- New Mexico Pacific Islander OSS 10.4% rate 2017-18
- Hawaii Asian lowest OSS 3.2 per 100, White 4.8 in 2017-18
- National preschool suspension rate Black children 20% vs 7% White 2013-14 data
- High-poverty schools Black OSS 15.2 per 100 vs 5.4 low-poverty 2017-18
- Charter schools Black OSS rate 13.5% vs 7.8% traditional 2017-18
Discipline and Suspension by Race Interpretation
While these numbers don't lie, they do loudly tell a story where disciplinary policies across America seem to possess a remarkably—and disturbingly—consistent racial bias, revealing that the school-to-discipline pipeline appears to be color-coded.
Graduation Rates by Race
- The adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for Black students nationally was 81.0% in 2019-20
- Hispanic students had an ACGR of 82.6% in the U.S. for the class of 2020
- White students achieved an ACGR of 90.2% nationally in 2019-20
- Asian/Pacific Islander ACGR was 94.0% for the class of 2020 in U.S. public schools
- American Indian/Alaska Native students had an ACGR of 74.0% in 2019-20 nationally
- In California, Black students' ACGR was 78.5% for 2019-20
- Texas Hispanic students graduated at 89.1% ACGR in 2019-20
- New York White students had 92.3% ACGR for class of 2020
- Florida Black students' ACGR was 83.2% in 2019-20
- Illinois Asian students achieved 95.6% ACGR in 2019-20
- Georgia Hispanic ACGR was 84.7% for 2019-20 class
- Michigan Native American ACGR stood at 71.2% in 2019-20
- Arizona Black students had 78.9% ACGR in 2019-20
- Nevada White ACGR was 89.4% for class of 2020
- New Jersey multiracial students graduated at 91.8% ACGR in 2019-20
- District of Columbia Hispanic ACGR was 76.5% in 2019-20
- Louisiana Asian students had 95.2% ACGR for 2019-20
- South Carolina Black ACGR was 82.1% in 2019-20
- Alabama White students achieved 91.5% ACGR in 2019-20
- Mississippi Hispanic ACGR was 85.3% for class of 2020
- New Mexico Native American ACGR was 69.8% in 2019-20
- Hawaii Pacific Islander ACGR stood at 83.4% in 2019-20
- Nationally, the 4-year ACGR gap between White and Black students was 9.2 percentage points in 2019-20
- In urban districts, Hispanic ACGR was 80.5% versus 88.7% in suburbs for 2019-20
- Charter school Black ACGR was 79.3% compared to 81.5% in traditional publics in 2019-20
- Extended 5-year ACGR for American Indian students was 79.2% nationally in 2019-20
Graduation Rates by Race Interpretation
These figures confirm that America's graduation rates stubbornly follow a familiar hierarchy, proving opportunity is still distributed more like a tiered subscription than a universal right.
School Funding/Access by Race
- In 2019-20, per-pupil current expenditures in majority-Black districts averaged $1,500 less than majority-White
- Majority-Hispanic districts received $1,200 less per pupil than majority-White in 2019-20
- High-poverty (often minority) districts funded $2,200 below low-poverty peers 2019-20
- In California, Black students' schools received $12,800 per pupil vs $13,500 White 2019-20
- Texas majority-minority districts $9,100 per pupil vs $10,200 majority-White 2019-20
- New York City (diverse) $23,000 per pupil, suburban White $22,500 2019-20
- Florida Black-concentrated schools $8,900 vs $9,600 White 2019-20
- Illinois Chicago public $16,200 per pupil, majority-minority vs suburbs $18,000 2019-20
- Georgia Atlanta (Black-majority) $11,500 vs metro White $12,800 2019-20
- Michigan Detroit $12,900 per pupil majority-Black vs state White avg $13,700 2019-20
- Arizona majority-Hispanic $8,200 vs White $9,100 2019-20
- Nevada Clark County (diverse) $9,500 vs rural White $10,200 2019-20
- New Jersey urban minority districts $20,100 vs suburban White $21,500 2019-20
- DC public schools $18,000 per pupil majority-Black/Hispanic 2019-20
- Louisiana New Orleans $11,200 majority-minority vs parishes $10,900 White 2019-20
- South Carolina Black districts $10,500 vs White $11,300 2019-20
- Alabama Birmingham $10,200 majority-Black vs Huntsville White $11,000 2019-20
- Mississippi Delta minority $9,000 vs coastal White $9,800 2019-20
- New Mexico majority-Native $9,500 vs others $10,200 2019-20
- Hawaii statewide $14,200, no major racial funding gap noted 2019-20
- Nationally, teacher salary in majority-minority schools $1,200 lower than others 2019-20
- Advanced courses access: Black students 57% less likely in high-minority schools 2015-16
- Computer availability: 92% in low-minority vs 87% high-minority schools 2019-20
School Funding/Access by Race Interpretation
The ledger's math is brutally clear: our nation's zip codes are a masterclass in delivering a second-rate education on a clearance-aisle budget, leaving students of color to learn that inequality is our most consistently funded program.
Student Enrollment by Race
- In the 2021-22 school year, Black students made up 15.2% of public school enrollment in the United States, totaling approximately 7.6 million students
- Hispanic students comprised 27.4% of U.S. public school enrollment in 2021-22, equating to about 13.8 million students nationwide
- White students accounted for 44.6% of public K-12 enrollment in 2021-22, representing roughly 22.4 million students across the country
- Asian/Pacific Islander students were 5.1% of U.S. public school enrollment in 2021-22, totaling around 2.6 million students
- American Indian/Alaska Native students constituted 1.1% of public school enrollment in 2021-22, about 560,000 students nationally
- In California for 2021-22, Hispanic students were 54.5% of public school enrollment, totaling over 3 million students
- In New York, Black students were 15.8% of public K-12 enrollment in 2021-22, approximately 380,000 students
- Texas public schools had 52.6% Hispanic enrollment in 2021-22, equating to 2.9 million students
- In Florida, White students were 44.2% of enrollment in 2021-22, about 1.8 million students
- Illinois saw 26.7% Black student enrollment in public schools for 2021-22, totaling 340,000 students
- In Georgia, Black students were 36.8% of public enrollment in 2021-22, around 780,000 students
- Michigan public schools had 14.9% Black enrollment in 2021-22, approximately 190,000 students
- In Arizona, Hispanic students were 46.3% of enrollment for 2021-22, over 800,000 students
- Nevada had 40.1% Hispanic public school enrollment in 2021-22, about 340,000 students
- New Jersey public schools featured 6.8% Asian enrollment in 2021-22, totaling 140,000 students
- In 2021-22, multiracial students were 4.0% of U.S. public enrollment, roughly 2 million students
- District of Columbia public schools had 65.3% Black enrollment in 2021-22, about 50,000 students
- In Louisiana, Black students were 42.5% of enrollment for 2021-22, over 340,000 students
- South Carolina saw 30.7% Black public school enrollment in 2021-22, approximately 280,000 students
- In Alabama, Black students comprised 31.8% of enrollment in 2021-22, about 240,000 students
- Mississippi public schools had 47.2% Black enrollment in 2021-22, totaling 210,000 students
- In New Mexico, Hispanic students were 60.4% of public enrollment for 2021-22, over 320,000 students
- Hawaii featured 31.5% Asian/Pacific Islander enrollment in 2021-22 public schools, about 110,000 students
- In 2021-22, White students in urban districts were 22.1% of enrollment, versus 48.3% in rural areas
- Charter schools had 30.2% Hispanic enrollment in 2021-22, compared to 27.1% in traditional public schools
- In 2021-22, English learners were 72.4% Hispanic among public school students
- Black students in suburban schools were 12.5% of enrollment in 2021-22, up from 10.8% in 2010-11
- In 2021-22, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students were 0.4% of U.S. public enrollment, about 200,000 students
- Two or more races students increased to 4.6% in private schools versus 4.0% in public in 2021-22
Student Enrollment by Race Interpretation
America's public schools are no longer the proverbial melting pot but a dynamic, uneven mosaic where the Hispanic student population is approaching a national plurality while specific states and districts reveal starkly different demographic realities that challenge any simplistic narrative about race and education.
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