Postsecondary Persistence
About this data:
E3 Alliance relies primarily on data from the University of Texas Education Research Center (ERC). This data allows for a longitudinal understanding of postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion, based on where and when a student graduates from high school. This data pertains to graduates from within the state of Texas who enroll in Texas postsecondary institutions within one year of graduating from high school.
Following are items to note:
The year of the data represents the year of high school graduation. Measuring persistence requires two years to elapse (one year to enroll, and one year to return). There is also a delay in data availability due to state approval within the ERC and analysis time. As such, if you choose to explore data from Central Texas, the graphs below present postsecondary persistence data in the most recent available year in Texas postsecondary institutions, for the class that graduated high school two years prior. In other words, data for the graduating class of 2018 represents their postsecondary persistence status in 2020.
78%
34,193 / 44,076
Dallas/Fort Worth
Postsecondary Persistence Rate
78%
133,142 / 171,717
Texas
Postsecondary Persistence Rate
Digging Deeper: Income, Gender, and Race Play a Role in Postsecondary Persistence Rates
Reviewing the latest persistence data by student groups based on their gender, income, and race allows us to take a closer look at which students are being underserved by education systems.
In Texas for the class of 2018, postsecondary institutions' second year persistence rates of Asian females from non-low-income households are the highest (97%) and their persistence rates of Black males from low-income households are the lowest (62%).
For all racial groups, females from non-low-income households are persisting at the highest rates, followed by males from non-low-income households, then females from low-income households, and males from low-income households.
These gender, income, and race disparities point to the need for education systems change.
Postsecondary Persistence Rates, 2019
Postsecondary Persistence Varies by Race
Persistence rates in Texas postsecondary institutions show racial disparities that point to the need for systemic change around opportunities, access, and support.
For the Texas class of 2018, postsecondary institutions' persistence rates for Asian students are greater than 6 times that of Black students (Asian - 94%, Black - 72%).
Look at disparities in persistence in your region by using the comparison feature. Are disparities larger or smaller in your region as compared to the state?
Disparities Exist in Postsecondary Persistence by Household Income
Household income disparities in postsecondary persistence exist for Texas students who enroll within one year of graduating high school.
For the Texas class of 2018, 74% of students from low-income households persisted into their second year of postsecondary education, while 87% of students from non-low-income households persisted.
Compare your region to the state by using the comparison feature. Are there greater or lesser disparities in your region?
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Gender
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Gender
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Gender
Economic Status
Ethnicity
Gender
Texas Persistence Rates Stable for Past Ten Years
While postsecondary enrollment rates have been decreasing over the past ten years for Texas, the same trend is not found for Texas high school graduates’ postsecondary persistence in Texas institutions, where rates have remained stable.
In Texas overall, 8 out of 10 students who enroll within one year of graduating high school persist for a second year in postsecondary education.
See how the trend in your region compares to the state at large by using the comparison feature.
Disparities in Persistence by Household Income Have Been Reduced Since 2012 but Progress is Stalling
Disparities in postsecondary education persistence rates continue for Texas students from low-income households who enroll within one year of graduating high school as compared to those from non-low-income households. Despite gains in persistence rates since 2012, this disparity remains.
For the class of 2009, there was a 10 percentage point disparity between students from low-income and non-low-income households. For the class of 2018, that disparity has increased to a 13 percentage point disparity between students from low-income and non-low-income households.
Disparities in Postsecondary Persistence by Race Continue Over Time
In Texas, among those who enrolled within one-year of graduating high school, postsecondary institutions are seeing changing persistence rates into the second year. While some similarities exist in the trends across groups, the disparity has remained.
Use the comparison feature to look at trends in your region by race over the past 10 years, as compared to the state. How have disparities increased or decreased in your region?