Enrollment, Student Diversity on the Rise

Enrollment in America’s public schools is rising to an all-time high, and the nation’s student body is becoming more diverse, according to The Condition of Education 2008 report released today by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

“This report allows us to take a big-picture look at the condition of American education,” said NCES Commissioner Mark Schneider. “What we see are improvements, such as higher math and reading scores for 4th- and 8th-graders, and increases in college enrollment. But persistent challenges remain in educating a growing and increasingly diverse population.”

Hispanic students now make up 1 in 5 public school students, but these students as well as other minority students are disproportionately clustered in high-poverty schools. More individuals of all races are enrolling in college, and more bachelor’s degrees have been awarded than in the past. However, gaps in achievement and high school and college graduation rates between White and minority students continue.

The Condition of Education is a congressionally mandated report that provides an annual portrait of education in the United States. The 43 indicators included in this year’s report cover all aspects of education, from early childhood through postsecondary education and from student achievement to school environment and resources.