While African American students are graduating from college at higher rates, a new report finds they continue to fall behind their white peers.
The good news is the number of Black students graduating from Cal State schools has doubled from 10 percent to 20 percent over the past decade.
"While we have doubled the rate of Black students graduating, we've done that at a time when we've increased graduation for white students, Latinx students, for Native American students," said Jessie Ryan, Executive Vice President of the Campaign for College Opportunity.
So while more Black students are graduating, they still lag far behind other ethnic groups.
Ryan says the gap between Black and white students has actually grown over the past decade by 25 percent. The campaign has released a report with several recommendations on how to close that gap.
Ryan says high schools should make completing financial aid applications - known as FAFSA - a requirement for graduation.
"Now is the time to have all of our high school students completing the FAFSA and opening up the doors of opportunity and free financial aid so that they can pursue their college dreams."
Like all students, Black students would benefit from having more teachers that look like them.
"Only one Black instructor for every 121 Black students at the California community college system is currently in place," said Ryan, which is why they are calling for more Black faculty members.
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