Blacks, Hispanics Benefit Most From Extracurricular Study  

Black and Hispanic students are more likely than their White counterparts to benefit from out-of-class learning activities, concludes a new study by the National Survey of Student Engagement.

The study, “Connecting the Dots: Multi-Faceted Analyses of the Relationships Between Student Engagement Results from the NSSE, and the Institutional Practices and Conditions ThatFoster Student Success,” examined collegiate student engagement from approximately 11,000 first-year and senior students at 18 baccalaureate-granting institutions, including four historically Black institutions and three Hispanic-serving institutions. It found that historically underserved students benefit more from college activities, such as  readings outside the classroom and involvement in projects with their peers, than White students in terms of earning higher grades and moving on to the next year of college.

“While student engagement is not a silver bullet, finding ways to get students to take part in the right kinds of activities helps to level the playing field, especially for those from low-income family backgrounds and others who have been historically underserved, increasing the odds that they will complete their program of study and enjoy the intellectual and monetary gains associated with the completion of the bachelor’s degree,” the report says.

Although 42 states have policies in support of dual enrollment programs, allowing students to finish high school while earning college credits, a new study suggests minorities are not taking benefiting from such policies.

The report, “Accelerated Learning Options: Moving the Needle on Access and Success,” suggests broadening the programs to make them more available to low-income and rural students. In Florida, for example, low-income Black and Hispanic students earned accelerated credit at lower rates than other students, according to a report by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.