Keeping Students on Track to College

Studies show that expanding access to a college education can be a sure path to a higher incomes and better lives, not to mention a stronger economy. But a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) finds that fewer than one in three California ninth graders are expected to earn a bachelor’s degree. In a troubling sign of the lack of equal educational opportunities across the state, African American and Latino students are most likely to step off the college track.

This report offers a detailed look at why students don’t go to college and recommends policy actions to address the problem. Among the recommendations: California should consider updating high school graduation requirements so more students take the courses they need to stay on track.