Michigan: We are failing black college students. We can do better.
That's the warning from Kim Trent, a member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors. She laid out her concerns in a piece for MichiganFuture.org where she's a policy associate. It's titled "How Michigan fails black college students."
According to Trent, Michigan's disinvestment in higher education has had a negative impact on all students, but have hit black students harder.
"Black students especially are being kind of left behind, not only because we don't have these resources on the higher education level but because of the way we fund our K-12 system," Trent said. "They are going to schools that are just not getting the support that they need."
The mindset of Michigan's high schools needs to change, Trent said. High school is seen by many as the end goal, when schools need to do more to prepare students for college.
Listen to the full interview above to hear about eye-opening statistics related to the six-year graduation rate for black students compared to white students. You'll also hear what colleges and policymakers can do about it.
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