Fast Facts: Black History Month (1138)

Black History Month

Question:
For Black History Month 2023, 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 2021, some 62 percent of Black 3- to 5-year-olds were enrolled in school (source).

K–12 Education

Students

In fall 2021, some 15 percent of students enrolled in public preK–12 schools were Black (source).
In 2019–20, some 9 percent of private school students were Black (source).
In fall 2021, some 59 percent of Black students attended public schools where students of color comprised at least 75 percent of total enrollment (source).
In 2019, some 91 percent of Black 3- to 18-year-olds had home internet access (source).
In 2019–20, 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 66 percent in Wyoming to 88 percent in Alabama (source).
The average NAEP mathematics assessment score for Black 13-year-olds was 27 points higher in 2020 (256 points) than in 1978 (source). The average NAEP reading assessment score for Black 13-year-olds was 22 points higher in 2020 (244 points) than in 1971 (source).

Teachers and Principals

In 2020–21, some 6 percent of all public school teachers and 4 percent of all private school teachers were Black (source).
In 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).
Black teachers² had a higher rate of post-master’s degree education (13 percent) than did all teachers (9 percent) in 2017–18 (source).

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

In 2020–21, some 10 percent of all public school principals and 6 percent of all private school principals were Black (source).
In 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 2020, there were 2.4 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 45 percent of Black students who began seeking a bachelor’s degree full time at a 4-year institution in fall 2014 completed that degree at the same institution within 6 years (i.e., by 2020) (source).
In 2020–21, postsecondary institutions awarded 59,848 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees/certificates to Black students (source).

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

In 2020–21, 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 2020, there were 27,571 full-time Black female faculty members at degree-granting postsecondary institutions, compared with 19,906 Black male faculty members (source).
In fall 2020, Black males made up 3 percent of full-time faculty and Black females made up 4 percent of full-time faculty at degree-granting postsecondary institutions (source).

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

Adult Outcomes

In 2022, some 95 percent of 25- to 29-year-olds who were Black had completed at least high school (source).

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 These estimates include teachers who indicated that they were Black or African American, regardless of whether they indicated that they were also Hispanic/Latino or another race.

Related Tables and Figures: (Listed by Release Date)

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