Nov 30, 2024 Story by: Editor
California’s community colleges have long served as a crucial gateway to higher education, especially for historically underrepresented groups, including Latino and Black men. Recent reforms, mandated by Assembly Bill (AB) 705, aim to address persistent inequities in educational attainment. By focusing on transfer-level math course completion, this legislation marks significant progress but also reveals lingering challenges.
Progress and Challenges Under AB 705
- Increased Access and Completion Rates
Since AB 705’s implementation, more Latino and Black men now enroll directly in transfer-level courses. By fall 2023, 100% of first-time Latino and Black male math students began at this level. Completion rates in one term also tripled compared to fall 2018, with 44% of Latino men and 41% of Black men successfully finishing these courses. - Persistence Gaps Remain
Despite progress, completion rates for Latino and Black men still lag behind their white and Asian male peers. For instance, 44% of Latino men and 41% of Black men completed transfer-level math, compared to 60% of white and 68% of Asian men between fall 2019 and fall 2023. - Unclear Impact on Transfers
While the reforms have improved math course outcomes, their effect on overall transfer rates to four-year colleges remains uncertain. Persistence rates also pose a significant hurdle, with 59% of Latino and 66% of Black male students leaving without a degree or transfer within three years.
Broader Implications of Educational Attainment
According to the 2022 American Community Survey, only 13% of Latino and 16% of Black men in California aged 22–27 hold a bachelor’s degree, compared to 41% of white and 60% of Asian men. The economic benefits of higher education are stark: annual earnings for bachelor’s degree holders are, on average, 62% higher than those with only a high school diploma.
Next Steps for Equitable Outcomes
To sustain the momentum of AB 705, California’s community colleges must prioritize strategies that address low persistence rates and improve completion rates for Latino and Black men. Promising approaches include:
- Growth-Minded Instruction: Supporting educators who focus on student potential.
- Corequisite Models: Designing math and English courses that combine skill development with transfer-level content.
- Community Support Programs: Programs specifically for men of color foster belonging and build supportive campus relationships.
Black and Latino men continue to experience significant barriers in community colleges, resulting in poorer long-term outcomes compared to their peers. Research by Harris III and Wood (2022) highlights that the “dynamic interactions that take place between and within these factors ultimately shape student success for men of color in community college.” This intersectionality of race and gender compounds challenges, making their educational experiences particularly complex.
Key Findings on Equity Gaps
Quantitative studies reveal disproportionately low transfer rates among Black and Latino men, pointing to stark racial, ethnic, and gender disparities compared to Asian and white students (Camacho et al., 2021). Addressing these inequities requires focusing on the intersection of race and gender, which significantly impacts their educational trajectories.
Enhancing Transfer-Level Course Completion
Faculty Role:
Effective instructional practices play a pivotal role in supporting students, particularly in transfer-level math and English courses. Research by Dadgar et al. (2023) emphasizes the importance of faculty providing constructive feedback, equitable accommodations, and fostering a sense of belonging. These practices are linked to improved outcomes for Black and Latino students. However, scaling these approaches and providing faculty with necessary training remain ongoing challenges.
Corequisite Courses:
Corequisite courses, which offer academic support alongside transfer-level coursework, have shown promise in improving outcomes for Black and Latino students. While studies in Texas community colleges highlight their potential, results vary across institutions due to differences in course design and implementation (Meiselman & Schudde, 2022). Further research is needed to optimize these models for greater equity.
Learning Communities:
Programs like Umoja and Puente integrate culturally relevant pedagogy and mentorship to support Black and Latino students. Pre-AB 705 data shows that Umoja students were twice as likely as their peers to complete transfer-level English and were more persistent across terms (Purnell et al., 2019). However, the reach of these programs remains limited, necessitating broader implementation and evaluation.
Supporting Black and Latino Men Beyond the Classroom
Centering Student Experiences:
Harris III and Wood (2022) advocate for professional development to equip educators with the skills needed to serve men of color equitably. Addressing resource constraints and connecting students to career pathways are also critical steps (Olaniyan et al., 2023).
Building Self-Confidence and Community:
Boosting students’ motivation and creating culturally engaging campuses are essential. Mentorship and peer-advising programs can foster a sense of belonging and encourage help-seeking behavior, according to Huerta et al. (2021). Colleges are also urged to create safe, supportive spaces tailored to the needs of men of color.
Scaling Successful Programs
While several initiatives address the needs of Black and Latino men, their adoption remains uneven. Effective strategies include improving data transparency on faculty course success rates and providing high-quality professional development focused on equity (Sosa et al., 2018). Programs like A2MEND and male success centers show promise but require expansion to reach more students.
Enrollment Disparities and Academic Preparation
Black and Latino students are disproportionately less likely to have received adequate math preparation for calculus in high school. Even those who completed advanced math courses are often overrepresented in preparatory college coursework (The RP Group, 2024).
Assembly Bill 1705, designed to address these concerns, established new standards for math placement and initial enrollment. It aims to ensure STEM students begin their studies in transfer-level courses that better position them to meet calculus requirements. The legislation also mandates that colleges provide evidence demonstrating the benefits of preparatory coursework, such as College Algebra or Trigonometry, before attempting Calculus I.
Recent research revealed that students starting with preparatory coursework in college tend to have lower success rates in Calculus I compared to those who directly enroll, regardless of their high school preparation levels (The RP Group, 2024). This trend indicates that overrepresentation in preparatory courses could hinder the progress of Latino and Black men pursuing STEM degrees.
Corequisite Remediation and Completion Gaps
Corequisite remediation, a model where students enroll in transfer-level courses while receiving concurrent support, has become increasingly prevalent. However, disparities persist. In fall 2023, over 25% of Latino and Black first-time math students enrolled in corequisite courses compared to 17% and 18% of their white and Asian peers. Yet, only 40% of Latino and 39% of Black men successfully completed these courses in one term, compared to 55% and 61% of white and Asian men, respectively.
Completion rates were higher across all groups in standalone transfer-level courses, but significant gaps between racial groups remain. Moreover, fewer than 20% of Black and Latino men who failed their first attempt at a transfer-level math course completed it on a second try. Alarmingly, one-third of these students did not retake the course, and many left the system altogether.
The Impact of AB 705
Despite these challenges, AB 705 has brought significant improvements. Between 2018 and 2023, the number of Black and Latino men completing transfer-level math in one term increased by 114% and 94%, respectively. Achieving this milestone boosts the likelihood of transferring to four-year institutions, as evidenced by transfer rates of 35% for Latino and 37% for Black men who completed transfer-level math early in their college careers.
Comparing cohorts from 2015 to 2022, the percentage of Latino and Black men completing transfer-level math in their first year nearly tripled. However, persistence remains an issue: 59% of Latino and 66% of Black men leave college without earning a degree or transferring, with many exiting after the first year.
Economic Pressures and Opportunity Costs
Economic conditions significantly impact retention. Many young Black and Latino men are drawn to the workforce due to strong labor market opportunities, particularly in industries like construction and warehousing. The median income for Latino and Black men aged 18–27 with some college education is $27,000—higher than their female counterparts. However, over time, this advantage diminishes, especially for those without degrees. By their 30s, men with partial college education earn significantly less than women with bachelor’s degrees.
Recommendations for Community Colleges
Research on Black and Latino men in higher education is limited, often relying on small sample sizes or single-case studies. Societal factors, such as systemic inequities and economic pressures, intersect with individual challenges like self-confidence and stigmas against seeking help, which hinder educational progress.
Colleges can address campus-level barriers by fostering a sense of belonging, improving access to academic services, and enhancing relationships among students, staff, and faculty. While AB 705 has narrowed some gender gaps, it underscores the need to focus on racial and ethnic disparities to ensure equitable outcomes.
Conclusion
The implementation of AB 705 has undeniably reshaped access to transfer-level courses, offering a pathway to greater educational equity. However, systemic challenges persist, particularly in achieving parity in course completion and degree attainment. Further research and targeted interventions are essential to close these gaps and ensure that all students, particularly Latino and Black men, can achieve their academic and career goals.
Despite progress under AB 705 in increasing access to transfer-level courses, significant equity gaps persist for Black and Latino men. Their lower rates of transfer and degree attainment, coupled with higher rates of stopping out, underscore the need for comprehensive, high-touch supports. To truly advance equity, colleges must address both academic and non-academic barriers, leveraging research and targeted interventions to support these students throughout their educational journeys.
Persistent systemic inequalities and strong short-term labor market opportunities continue to divert Black and Latino men from completing their degrees. Expanding research, refining interventions, and fostering institutional cultural shifts are crucial to improving outcomes for these students and ensuring their success in higher education and beyond.
While AB 705 has expanded access to transfer-level courses and improved completion rates, colleges must prioritize retention and support systems to help Black and Latino men succeed. Addressing systemic inequities and economic pressures while enhancing campus-level resources will be essential to bridging these gaps and ensuring long-term success for all students. Source: PPIC
