Fast Facts: Black History Month (1138)

Black History Month

Question:
For Black History Month 2024, what data do you have on the learning experiences of Black¹ students throughout their education careers and the characteristics of Black teachers and faculty?

Response:

Early Childhood

In 2022, some 59 percent of Black 3- to 5-year-olds were enrolled in school (source).

Elementary/Secondary Education

Students

Of the 49.6 million students enrolled in public schools in fall 2022, some 7.4 million (or 15 percent) were Black students (source).

The data in this figure is described in the surrounding text.

In fall 2021, some 9 percent of students in private schools were Black (source).²
In fall 2022, some 60 percent of Black students attended public schools where students of color comprised at least 75 percent of total enrollment (source).
As a percentage of all preK–12 public school students in school year 2022–23, some 17 percent of Black students received special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (source).
The average NAEP mathematics assessment score for Black eighth-graders was 16 points higher in 2022 (253 points) than in 1990 (source). The average NAEP reading assessment score for Black eighth-graders was 7 points higher in 2022 (244 points) than in 1992 (source).³
In school year 2020–21, the 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) was 81 percent for Black public school students (in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico). The ACGRs for Black students ranged from 67 percent in Wisconsin to 88 percent in Alabama (source).

Teachers and Principals⁴

In school year 2020–21, some 6 percent of all public school teachers and 4 percent of all private school teachers were Black (source).
In school year 2020–21, some 9 percent of public school teachers in city schools and 5 percent of private school teachers in city schools were Black (source).
In school year 2020–21, Black public school teachers had a higher rate of post-master’s degree education (14 percent) than did public school teachers overall (10 percent) (source).
In school year 2020–21, some 10 percent of all public school principals and 6 percent of all private school principals were Black (source).
In school year 2020–21, some 18 percent of public school principals in city schools and 8 percent of private school principals in city schools were Black (source).

Postsecondary Education

Institutions

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions that were established prior to 1964 with the principal mission of educating Black Americans. These institutions were founded and developed in an environment of legal segregation and, by providing access to higher education, they contributed substantially to the progress Black Americans made in improving their status. Explore this Fast Fact to learn more about HBCUs.

Students

In fall 2022, there were 2.3 million Black students enrolled in degree-granting postsecondary institutions. Thirteen percent of U.S. resident students enrolled in degree-granting institutions were Black (source).
Some 46 percent of Black students who began seeking a bachelor’s degree full time at a 4-year institution in fall 2016 completed that degree at the same institution within 6 years (i.e., by 2022) (source).
In academic year 2021–22, postsecondary institutions awarded 61,074 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees/certificates to Black students (source).

The data in this figure is described in the surrounding text.

In academic year 2021–22, some 9 percent of STEM bachelor’s degrees/certificates conferred to U.S. citizens and permanent residents were awarded to Black students (source).
Female enrollment at HBCUs has been higher than male enrollment in every year since 1976 (source).

Faculty

In fall 2022, there were 28,977 full-time Black female faculty members at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, compared with 20,477 full-time Black male faculty members (source).
In fall 2022, Black females made up 4 percent of full-time faculty and Black males made up 3 percent of full-time faculty at degree-granting postsecondary institutions (source).⁵

Adult Outcomes

In 2023, some 96 percent of Black 25- to 29-year-olds had completed at least high school (source).

African Americans and the Arts

Among Black or African American high school graduates in 2013, the average number of high school arts credits earned was 1.8 (source).
In academic year 2021–22, postsecondary institutions awarded 11,709 degrees/certificates in visual and performing arts to Black students (source).

The data in this figure is described in the surrounding text.

In 2022, the average NAEP mathematics assessment score for Black eighth-graders who took an arts course in that school year was 254, which was not measurably different from the average score of 253 for Black eighth-graders who did not take an arts course (source).⁶
In 2022, the average NAEP reading assessment score for Black eighth-graders who took an arts course in that school year was 246, which was not measurably different from the average score of 244 for Black eighth-graders who did not take an arts course (source).⁷

¹ Throughout this Fast Fact, Black refers to persons who indicated that they were Black or African American. Unless otherwise noted, this excludes persons of Hispanic ethnicity.
² Includes enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 12 in schools that offer kindergarten or higher grade.
³ Accommodations were not permitted for assessments in 1990 or 1992.
⁴ Data in this section come from the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which excludes teachers who teach only prekindergarten.
⁵ Percentages are based on full-time faculty whose race/ethnicity was known. Race/ethnicity information was not collected for faculty who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
⁶ These scale scores were determined by creating a “crosstab” in the NAEP Data Explorer using the following variables: race/ethnicity using 2011 guidelines, school-reported (SRACE10), and taking an art course this school year (B035601).
⁷ These scale scores were determined by using the following variables: race/ethnicity using 2011 guidelines, school-reported (SRACE10), and taking an art course this school year (B035601).

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