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Distance from a community college is an important factor in how students decide what to do after high school, and recent research has shown that students may have to leave their hometowns for college or not earn a degree at all. revealed in a study.
Black, Hispanic, and low-income students are more likely to forego college if they are not close to a community college, which can have a long-term impact on their incomes.
In contrast, living far from a community college often encourages white, Asian, and higher-income students to enroll in a four-year college instead, the study found.
The research study, published last month by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, surveyed Texas students who graduated from public high schools between 2013 and 2017, tracked students who enrolled in Texas public universities, and pursued degree completion. We monitored progress towards this goal. The researchers focused on community college “deserts” — people who live in areas where the public high school the student attends is more than a 30-minute drive from the nearest community college.
Black and Hispanic students face unique barriers to attending and graduating from college. They are more likely to have caring responsibilities and therefore stay at home more often. Those who enroll are often the first in their families to attend college.
Access to transportation also plays a big role when students plan for life after high school. Riley Acton, a researcher at Miami University in Ohio, found that gas and car payments can increase the financial burden of attending college, leading to high school students deciding not to pursue a degree and college students dropping out. He said there is ample potential to do so.
“In this country, we provide transportation for children up to grade 12, and at the post-secondary level, students generally use their own transportation,” Acton said. .
The coronavirus pandemic has spurred the expansion of online learning and changed the face of higher education in Texas. The researchers said it is unclear how far distance learning can contribute to improving access to higher education in community college desert areas such as rural areas. Acton said students can take classes remotely to avoid long commutes, but they often struggle with limited access to tools like reliable broadband and reliable laptops. .
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The report’s findings also highlight the damage school closures are having on students’ college plans. This is especially important in Texas. It comes after Congress last year overhauled the state’s funding system for community colleges, providing a lifeline to many small and rural colleges struggling to stay open.
“Policymakers can and do change the location of college campuses, including through the opening of new campuses and the consolidation of campuses,” Acton said. “Our results show that expanding community college options in historically underserved areas, such as low-income areas and areas with large black and Hispanic populations, will lead to greater access to higher education in Texas. This suggests that this could be a very good and potentially cost-effective way to expand access.”
The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus for higher education coverage.
