The full consequences of dismantling or shutting down several functions of the Department of Education remain unclear, and many uncertainties persist. However, one certainty is that the proposal will negatively impact all levels of education – from early childhood to graduate and post-doctoral education and training. Experts in the field of education assert that the effects on lower-income and minority students will be both significant and detrimental. For example, the impact on Latinos in higher education will likely have long-term effects on degree completion rates, job and career opportunities, lifetime earnings, and wealth accumulation. These factors are likely to hinder the ability of Latinos to close or at least narrow the wealth gap.
Latinos In Higher Education
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 21% of Latinos over 25 have earned at least a bachelor’s degree. This represents a 44% increase from 2012 to 2022, the largest among any racial or ethnic group. Colleges and universities are counting on Latino enrollment to continue rising. Institutions of higher education are facing an enrollment cliff, and Latinos are seen as a way to delay falling over the edge.
Latinos In Higher Education Tend To Be First-Generation Students
Among college students, Latinos are the most likely to be first-generation attendees. According to the non-partisan policy organization Excelencia in Education, 44% of Latinos are first-generation college students, compared to 34% of Blacks, 22% of whites, and 29% of all college students. First-generation college students are more likely than their peers to require substantial financial aid, including targeted scholarships and loans. The dramatic reconfiguration of the Department of Education’s financial aid programs and responsibilities places Latino and all first-generation college students in a situation where their ability to enroll in and complete college is endangered.
A person who wishes to remain anonymous to protect those she works with, whose job is to increase college enrollment and completion among first-generation college students – most Latino – said, “I cannot fathom how many college students will be impacted. They aren’t sure what is happening. They are living with the usual uncertainty and stress that accompanies applying to, financing, enrolling, and attending college. The announcement that the Department of Education is closing adds untold amounts of uncertainty and stress to this already uncertain and stressful situation.”
During an interview, a Latino parent who refused to give his name to protect his privacy said, “All I want is for my kids to get an education. Why is it becoming so hard? It’s not fair. I work, I pay taxes, and my kids are smart.”
Economics And Latinos In Higher Education
According to Excelencia in Education, the significance of financial assistance—whether in the form of loans, scholarships, grants, or some combination—can not be overstated for Latinos. They found that approximately 72% of Latino college students rely on financial aid. Without this support, their chances of attending and completing college diminish.
Although Latino enrollment in college and their earning at least a bachelor’s degree are increasing, Latinos remain the least likely among racial and ethnic groups to earn a four-year degree. Data indicates that the lack of completion is most often linked to economic factors. Latino students frequently drop out of college due to financial constraints. According to the Pew Research Center, about 52% of Latinos cite unaffordable college costs as the reason for dropping out of college. Additionally, Latinos, more often than whites, report having to leave college to help support their families.
“I loved being in college, but my parents needed me to earn money. I could not pay for school, do my schoolwork, and work full-time. I had to drop out after two years,” said a Latina who refused to give her name for privacy reasons. Continuing her story, she said, “As long as my daughter and son could get loans and maybe a special scholarship for Mexicans, they could finish college. “My kids are smart, and college means their lives will be better and easier than mine.”
The potential dismantling of the Department of Education is likely to adversely affect the availability of student aid. What remains uncertain is how this will, in turn, influence enrollment and completion rates for Latinos. However, as securing financial aid becomes more challenging, it will grow increasingly difficult for Latinos to enroll in and complete a four-year college degree program.
Latinos In Post-Baccalaureate Programs
At the same time that enrollment and completion rates for Latinos in baccalaureate programs continue to increase, enrollment in post-baccalaureate programs is rising. For instance, according to the Postsecondary National Policy Institute, in 2020, there were 340,900 Latino students enrolled in postsecondary educational programs. This represents a 207% increase since 2000. Although this is positive news, dismantling the Department of Education and significantly reducing funding for research grants will likely place the opportunities and costs of graduate and professional education out of reach for many Latinos.
If the next generation of workers – including lawyers, physicians, research scholars, and countless others whose jobs require education beyond a four-year college degree – is to be prepared to take on roles in a knowledge-based global economy, then the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group must have affordable access to the necessary education and training.
Dismantling The Department Of Education Comes At A Cost To All Of Us
The private sector cannot bridge the opportunity and economic gaps likely to result from drastic changes to the U.S. Department of Education. One key responsibility of the U.S. Department of Education is ensuring that higher education access is fair and equitable. As a result, the demographic makeup of college and university populations – and consequently of corporations, boardrooms, and educational, health, scientific, and legal venues – is now more reflective of the country’s demographic composition. According to a report from McKinsey & Company, this has generated positive business results. According to that report, “There have been far-reaching changes in the business environment over the past few years, yet, companies with diverse leadership teams continue to be associated with higher financial returns…{T}his is true across industries and regions, despite differing challenges, stakeholder expectations, and ambitions.”
The proposed dismantling and reconfiguration of the U.S. Department of Education and its programs potentially creates many obstacles for all students, particularly Latinos, in obtaining an education, becoming professionals employed across various sectors such as business, education, health care, and government, and accumulating wealth that could help close the wealth gap. In summary, proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Education may condemn far too many Latinos to a socioeconomic status that does not improve their lives and could hinder overall economic progress in the nation.
Elected officials need to examine how to mitigate the consequences of the proposed dismantling of the Department of Education and ensure that policies and resources are in place for young people — especially Latinos, the youngest and fastest-growing racial and ethnic group — to enroll in higher education degree programs, earn at least a four-year degree, and enter the workforce prepared to compete in the global knowledge-based economy. This will benefit the nation, states, communities, and each of us.
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