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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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CB93-58
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1993-05-27
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EMBARGOED UNTIL: Tues., April 6, 1993
Public Information Office CB93-58
301-763-4040
Robert Kominski
301-763-1154
AMERICA'S GROWING DIVERSITY REFLECTED IN CHANGING SCHOOL
POPULATIONS, CENSUS BUREAU FINDS IN ANNUAL SURVEY
The American classroom is becoming an increasingly diverse
place. Not only are about 31 percent of America's 3-to-17-year-
old students from groups other than the majority White, non-
Hispanic group, university classrooms are increasingly being
filled by 30-something women.
"Educators and school systems should take note," says Robert
Kominski, author of School Enrollment--Social and Economic
Characteristics of Students: October 1991 (P20-469). He adds,
"Student populations are becoming increasingly diverse. We also
expect to continue to see many older students returning to
college classrooms."
The report, an annual update of primary, secondary, and
post-secondary education, also points out that enrollment in
private schools is dropping. The report draws comparisons
between suburban, rural, and central city private schools. In
1967 nearly 20 percent of elementary school students in central
cities were in private schools, but by 1991, this had fallen to
just 12.3 percent.
However, school enrollment overall increased in 1991 to
about 64 million students. Slightly over 7 million students were
in nursery school or kindergarten, nearly 30 million were in
(more)
-2-
elementary school, about 13 million were in high school, and
around 14 million were in college.
Particularly striking is the increase in college students
above age 35. In 1972, the first year the bureau began
collecting such data, just 8.6 percent of college students were
35 or older; by 1991 this older group had doubled to
17.6 percent. Most of these older students are women--in 1991,
two thirds of older students were females.
The nation's annual dropout rate held steady at 4 percent
(about 347,000 students). High school students from families
with incomes below $20,000 dropped out at over seven times the
rate of students whose families earned $40,000 or more
(6.8 versus 0.9 percent). In addition to these new dropouts,
about 3.5 million 18-to-24-year-olds were already in 1991's
dropout pool.
The report includes information on school enrollment by age,
sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, income, metropolitan
residence, regional location, labor force status, part-time
status, and two- to four-year college enrollment.
As in all surveys, the data in this report are subject to
sampling variability and other sources or error.
-X-
Editor's Note: Media representatives may obtain copies of the
report from the bureau's Public Information Office on
301-763-4040. Non-media orders should go to the bureau's
Customer Services Office on 301-763-4100.