Literature Review #5 "More Than 76 Million Students Enrolled in U.S. Schools, Census Bureau Reports"

The United States Census Bureau is the government department responsible for taking census, recording various details and demographics of the United States' population. While the first United States census was ub 1790, the bureau itself was formed officially opened in July 1st, 1902. The US census isn't perfect, but it's slowly improved over several decades (and centuries).

The article itself--for which I couldn't find any specified author(s)--was published in mid december of 2018, detailing the enrollment of the 76 million students in the US between 2007 and 2017, both K-12 and postsecondary education. In some cases we can see enrollment number rise, and in others they fall. K-12 black, non-Hispanic student enrollment drop from being 14.9% to 13.9% of the total student population. On the other hand, black college enrollment raised from 13.4% to 14.5% of the total student population. This source pertains to classroom diversity, an important talking point of my topic. While this source talks namely to diversity of the greater whole rather than enrollment rates within specific populations, this picture of the larger whole pairs well with another USCB source detailing college enrollment rates within individual demographics. This gives me both sides of the same coin, so to speak, and helps me set up a solid basis from which to work. 

Key Terms:

Undergraduate Student: a post secondary student pursuing a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor degree.

Graduate Student: a post secondary student who has received a bachelor's degree and is doing more advanced work and/or seeking a doctorate. 

Race: groups of people grouped together by physical appearance, shared ancestry, and/or other perceived inherent characteristics 

Ethnicity: a group of people with a shared culture and its traditions.

Quotes:

"Of just the current undergraduate college student population, 52.9 percent are non-Hispanic white, 20.9 percent are Hispanic, 15.1 percent are black, and 7.6 percent are Asian, while graduate students are 61.2 percent white non-Hispanic, 13.6 percent Hispanic, 12.3 percent black, and 11.2 percent Asian."

"While the number enrolled in college was unchanged from 10 years ago, there was substantive change over the past decade — the overall number climbed by around 2 million from 2007 to 2011 before receding to 18.4 million in 2017. Today, women continue to be a majority on college campuses at 54.9 percent of undergraduate students and 59.8 percent of graduate students. Only 29.3 percent of undergraduate college students are attending two-year institutions."

"Since 2007, overall enrollment in high school has not significantly changed; however, more people are graduating from high school. The percentage of 18- to 24-year-olds who graduated from high school increased from 83.9 percent in 2007 to 87.5 percent in 2017. This increase has been particularly pronounced among the Hispanic population, which saw an increase in graduation from 67.4 percent in 2007 to 82 percent in 2017." Note: while this quote is about high school graduation, high school graduation is key for attending college and an important step for life choices and chances regardless."

Citation:

United States Census Bureau. “More Than 76 Million Students Enrolled in U.S. Schools.” The United States Census Bureau, 4 June 2019, www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/school-enrollment.html#:~:text=Of%20just%20the%20current%20undergraduate,black%2C%20and%2011.2%20percent%20Asian. Accessed 31 March 2021.