developing a racial diversity index for california community colleges
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Developing a Racial Diversity Developing a Racial Diversity Index for California Community Index for California Community
Colleges Colleges
Alice van Ommeren Alice van Ommeren
RP Group Conference – April 2011RP Group Conference – April 2011
BackgroundBackground Increasing attention to reducing the Increasing attention to reducing the
achievement gap (outcomes) achievement gap (outcomes) Policymakers and administrators are Policymakers and administrators are
inquiring about the racial disparitiesinquiring about the racial disparities Researchers are being tasked to Researchers are being tasked to
measure inequities and disparities measure inequities and disparities Importance of capturing the racial Importance of capturing the racial
diversity of the student body diversity of the student body (access)(access)
Statement of the ProblemStatement of the Problem
Aware that we have a diverse system Aware that we have a diverse system and been considerate in reporting and been considerate in reporting
Nature of the CCC’s racial composition Nature of the CCC’s racial composition has been relatively unexaminedhas been relatively unexamined
The relationship between student The relationship between student diversity as a covarariate or predictor diversity as a covarariate or predictor variable has not been exploredvariable has not been explored
Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study
Examine the empirical nature of Examine the empirical nature of racial composition and diversity racial composition and diversity of the student population across of the student population across the California community colleges the California community colleges
Study ObjectivesStudy Objectives Discuss types of diversity Discuss types of diversity
measures and relevant studies in measures and relevant studies in higher educationhigher education
Develop racial diversity indices for Develop racial diversity indices for each of the community collegeseach of the community colleges
Describe the indices and potential Describe the indices and potential use as adjustment variablesuse as adjustment variables
Discuss application of the indices Discuss application of the indices for researchers and policymakers for researchers and policymakers
CautionCaution
Racial categories are constructs Racial categories are constructs and do not capture social, cultural, and do not capture social, cultural, economic and political issues economic and political issues surrounding racial diversity surrounding racial diversity
General MethodologyGeneral MethodologyDatasetsDatasets Early Racial Composition MeasuresEarly Racial Composition Measures Diversity Range and VariabilityDiversity Range and Variability Diversity IndicesDiversity Indices
Analysis Analysis Exploratory Data AnalysisExploratory Data Analysis Correlations and ScatterplotsCorrelations and Scatterplots
Specific MethodologySpecific Methodology
Measures and indices for 111 colleges Measures and indices for 111 colleges from Data Mart (Annual 2009-10) from Data Mart (Annual 2009-10)
Removed 3 of the 9 categories Removed 3 of the 9 categories (American Indian, 2 or more, (American Indian, 2 or more, unknown)unknown)
Descriptives, also used histograms Descriptives, also used histograms and boxplots to identify outliers and boxplots to identify outliers
Relationship among the diversity Relationship among the diversity measures & indicesmeasures & indices
Racial Composition MeasuresRacial Composition Measures Percent WhitePercent White
Simplest measure, most common in early studiesSimplest measure, most common in early studies Percent MinorityPercent Minority
Alternative to % white, measure of racial minorityAlternative to % white, measure of racial minority Percent Underrepresented Minority (URM)Percent Underrepresented Minority (URM)
Another alternative, historically underrepresented in Another alternative, historically underrepresented in completing college. completing college.
For this study, defined as Hispanic, Black, Filipino and Pacific For this study, defined as Hispanic, Black, Filipino and Pacific IslanderIslander
Descriptives of Diversity Descriptives of Diversity MeasuresMeasuresOverallOverall
MeanMeanOverallOverall
MedianMedianHighest Highest
CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest
CollegeCollege
% White% White 40%40% 37%37% 83%83% 1%1%
% Minority% Minority 59%59% 62%62% 99%99% 17%17%
% URM% URM 48%48% 48%48% 97%97% 14%14%
% Black% Black 9%9% 5%5% 58%58% 1%1%
% Hispanic% Hispanic 34%34% 32%32% 91%91% 11%11%
% Asian% Asian 11%11% 7%7% 45%45% 1%1%
Racial Composition (CCC) over Racial Composition (CCC) over TimeTime
Percent of White has decreased over Percent of White has decreased over time (55% in 1992 to 38% in 2010)time (55% in 1992 to 38% in 2010)
Percent of Black in CCC has stayed Percent of Black in CCC has stayed at 8% since 1992, Filipino and Pacific at 8% since 1992, Filipino and Pacific Islander has also stayed the sameIslander has also stayed the same
Hispanics increased from 21% to Hispanics increased from 21% to 36% and Asian from 15% to 18%36% and Asian from 15% to 18%
All these patterns are consistent All these patterns are consistent with state population changeswith state population changes
Dimensional Diversity MeasuresDimensional Diversity Measures Diversity RangeDiversity Range
Difference between the lowest and highest Difference between the lowest and highest
Skewness = 100% - (% highest - % lowest)Skewness = 100% - (% highest - % lowest) Diversity VariabilityDiversity Variability
Measures the spread, standard deviationMeasures the spread, standard deviation
SqRt (1 – ((%white-m)SqRt (1 – ((%white-m)22 + (%black-m) + (%black-m)22 + ….)/k) + ….)/k)
Descriptives of Dimensional Descriptives of Dimensional MeasuresMeasures
OverallOverall
MeanMeanOverallOverall
MedianMedianHighest Highest
CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest
CollegeCollege
Div. RangeDiv. Range 49%49% 52%52% 76%76% 9%9%
Div. Div. VariabilityVariability
81%81% 81%81% 91%91% 67%67%
Diversity IndexDiversity Index Sensitive to proportional differences, Sensitive to proportional differences,
takes into account all categoriestakes into account all categories Intended to measure how much Intended to measure how much
“variety” or “spread” a college or “variety” or “spread” a college or district has among its racial groupingsdistrict has among its racial groupings
Measures the probability that any two Measures the probability that any two randomly selected students will be in randomly selected students will be in the same racial groupingthe same racial grouping
Ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 1 Ranges from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (complete diversity)(complete diversity)
The Use of Diversity IndicesThe Use of Diversity Indices
EcologyEcology Measure biodiversity in ecosystems Measure biodiversity in ecosystems
Economists Economists Measure distribution of sectors Measure distribution of sectors
DemographersDemographers US Census BureauUS Census Bureau USA TODAY Diversity IndexUSA TODAY Diversity Index
Diversity Indices in Diversity Indices in EducationEducation
U.S. New & World ReportU.S. New & World Report– Utilized in their ranking Utilized in their ranking
Edsource, Ethnic Diversity Index for Edsource, Ethnic Diversity Index for CDECDE– A characteristic of the school or districtA characteristic of the school or district
CSU Dominguez Hills (2005)CSU Dominguez Hills (2005)– WASC Diversity Sub Committee WASC Diversity Sub Committee
Educational benefits with diversityEducational benefits with diversity– U.S. Supreme Court (UC in 1978), SLO’s U.S. Supreme Court (UC in 1978), SLO’s
Types of Diversity IndicesTypes of Diversity Indices Many different types of indicesMany different types of indices
– Specific to field of study and purposeSpecific to field of study and purpose
Simpson’s Diversity IndexSimpson’s Diversity Index– Origins in EcologyOrigins in Ecology– Sensitive to richness (number of categories) and evenness Sensitive to richness (number of categories) and evenness
(number of students in category)(number of students in category)– More weight to number of categoriesMore weight to number of categories– Ranges between 0 to 1 Ranges between 0 to 1
Simpson’s Diversity IndexSimpson’s Diversity Index
DDSS= 1 - Sum= 1 - Sum11ii [n [nii*(n*(nii-1)]/[N*(N-1)]-1)]/[N*(N-1)]
DDss = 1 - = 1 - 40(39) + 25(24) + 15(14)40(39) + 25(24) + 15(14) 80(79) 80(79)
= 1 - = 1 - 23702370
63206320
= 1 - 0.375= 1 - 0.375
= 0.625= 0.625
Descriptives of Diversity IndicesDescriptives of Diversity IndicesOverallOverall
MeanMeanOverallOverall
MedianMedianHighest Highest
CollegeCollegeLowest Lowest
CollegeCollege
Simpson (6)Simpson (6) .60.60 .62.62 .79.79 .18.18
Simpson Simpson (5U)(5U)
.52.52 .54.54 .72.72 .17.17
*U/UMR – Combining Asian and White *U/UMR – Combining Asian and White
Discussion of DistributionDiscussion of Distribution High Diversity IndicesHigh Diversity Indices
– Colleges with even spread among White, Black and Asian Colleges with even spread among White, Black and Asian (mostly Bay Area colleges)(mostly Bay Area colleges)
– Using UMR, even balance with Black and Hispanic groups Using UMR, even balance with Black and Hispanic groups (outside the Bay Area)(outside the Bay Area)
Low Diversity IndicesLow Diversity Indices– Colleges with both high Hispanics (Imperial) and high White Colleges with both high Hispanics (Imperial) and high White
(Shasta, Redwood, Siskiyous)(Shasta, Redwood, Siskiyous)– This was consistent with UMR index This was consistent with UMR index
The diversity index captures the idea The diversity index captures the idea that the diversity of races matters that the diversity of races matters but that which race is in the but that which race is in the majority and which in the minority majority and which in the minority does not matter at all does not matter at all
Thought from the LiteratureThought from the Literature
Correlations with Outcome Correlations with Outcome MeasuresMeasures
ProgresProgresss
RateRate
30 Units30 Units
RateRateBasic Basic SkillsSkills
TransfeTransferr
RateRate
Simpson (6)Simpson (6) .242*.242* .106.106 .119.119 .221*.221*
Simpson Simpson (5U)(5U)
-.119-.119 -.184-.184 -.079-.079 -.116-.116
Other Measures & IndicesOther Measures & Indices
Segregation MeasuresSegregation Measures Dissimilarity IndexDissimilarity Index
– Segregation between two social groupingsSegregation between two social groupings Exposure IndexExposure Index
– Measures a single groupings average Measures a single groupings average
exposure to all groupingsexposure to all groupings
Index does not single out and give Index does not single out and give more weight to one racial group over more weight to one racial group over anotheranother
Does not incorporate other student Does not incorporate other student characteristics, such as the largest characteristics, such as the largest racial group, percent English racial group, percent English learners, etc. learners, etc.
Research LimitationsResearch Limitations
California community colleges racial California community colleges racial composition is diverse across the systemcomposition is diverse across the system
This study lays the empirical groundwork This study lays the empirical groundwork for explaining diverse student populationsfor explaining diverse student populations
Provides an important characteristic of the Provides an important characteristic of the campus, useful in describing the college campus, useful in describing the college
Relationship with diversity indices and Relationship with diversity indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate, needs exploring SPAR and Transfer Rate, needs exploring
Research ResultsResearch Results
California community colleges racial California community colleges racial composition is diverse across the composition is diverse across the systemsystem
Colleges with high diversity indices Colleges with high diversity indices are in the Bay Area with large Asian are in the Bay Area with large Asian proportionsproportions
Relationship with high diversity Relationship with high diversity indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate indices and SPAR and Transfer Rate
ConclusionsConclusions
Track your college diversity Track your college diversity measures and indices over time measures and indices over time
Compare college diversity index to Compare college diversity index to district, service area or peer group district, service area or peer group
Contrast student diversity index to Contrast student diversity index to faculty diversity indexfaculty diversity index
Create different types of college Create different types of college diversity indices and evaluate diversity indices and evaluate
Further Research for Further Research for CollegesColleges
Explore the effect of the index in a Explore the effect of the index in a multivariate relationship multivariate relationship
Develop service area indices and Develop service area indices and compare with college indicescompare with college indices
Explore other dimension of Explore other dimension of diversity, such as age, gender, diversity, such as age, gender, socioeconomicssocioeconomics
And…. And….
Further Research for Further Research for SystemSystem
Handouts & Contact Handouts & Contact InformationInformation
References and IndicesReferences and Indices Alice van Ommeren at Alice van Ommeren at
916.327.5878916.327.5878
avanommeren@cccco.eduavanommeren@cccco.edu
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