education [in]equity in louisiana

Rich School, Poor School:Education [In]Equity in Louisiana

Jesuit Social Research Institute

October 2019

Made possible by a generous grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Demographics and Family Structure

Household Income

Poverty and Food Insecurity

Early Childhood Education

Birth to Age Four: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

Public School Characteristics

Academic Performance

High School Graduation and University/College Enrollment

Primary and Secondary Education: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Public University/College Tuition

Educational Attainment

Post-Secondary Education: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

Earnings

Unemployment

Poverty

Conclusion

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

BIRTH TO AGE FOUR: CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION 5

2

7

78

10

12

13

14

17

718

23

27

29

31

732

34

38

41

742

43

44

45

47

48

FROM THE DIRECTOR1

THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

METHODOLOGY

ENDNOTES


RICH SCHOOL, POOR SCHOOL: Education [In]Equity in Louisiana1

In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the right to free basic education and equal access to higher education based on merit.1 In Catholic social thought, “integral human development,” as articulated by Pope Paul VI in 1967, includes growth of knowledge as one of the essentials to help people move “from less human conditions to those which are more human.”2 In the United States, the tradition of free public education accessible to all has long been seen as essential to the development of an informed citizenry and truly effective democracy.

In Louisiana, however, as shown in this report Rich School, Poor School: Educational [In]equity in Louisiana, 2019, the quality of public education too often depends on the level of income of the community. Moreover, with higher levels of poverty in black communities, the quality of public education and access to higher education and educational attainment too often hinges on the color of a student’s skin.

This report invites readers to reflect on the inequalities existing across school districts and inequality’s impact on the educational achievement of students, especially low-income students and students of color. The core message—spelled out in specific policy recommendations—is that the people of Louisiana must determine to address issues ranging from economic injustice for preschoolers to elementary and secondary education quality to teacher salaries to affordability of higher education. We must tackle each of these issues if we, all together, are to progress economically and socially.

Special thanks to JSRI Fellow Dr. Nicholas Ensley Mitchell and JSRI Research Assistant Millicent B. Eib for their comprehensive and detailed work in compiling and analyzing the statewide information critical for understanding the inequities in our current education system and its long-term impact on educational attainment and economic well-being. Importantly, they also point us to essential ways forward for a more just society in Louisiana.

We are indebted to the W. K. Kellogg Foundation whose generous grant has made this report possible as part of their well-known concern for vulnerable children and their families.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

October 2019Fred Kammer, SJ, JDDirectorJesuit Social Research InstituteCollege of Arts and SciencesLoyola University New Orleans

1 United Nations. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26.2 Pope Paul 6. (1967). Populorum Progressio: On the Development of Peoples, 20.

RICH SCHOOL, POOR SCHOOL: Education [In]Equity in Louisiana


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Rich School, Poor School: Education [In]Equity in Louisiana analyzes the connections between economic and social factors, educational performance, and educational attainment in Louisiana. It is divided into four periods of life: birth to age four, elementary and secondary education, post-secondary education, and the long-term impacts of educational attainment.

This report shows that poverty is the greatest detriment to educational performance and, therefore, educational attainment. Moreover, increasing adult educational attainment improves the overall standard of living. Furthermore, the report shows that communities of color suffer from a level of poverty that harms educational performance and produces lower adult educational attainment rates. This in turn creates more poverty for the next generation of children starting their own educational journey. Improving adult education attainment requires providing the necessary resources to educate children and alleviate the effects of poverty upon them.


The environment into which a child is born has a tremendous impact on that child’s development that can last well into adulthood. Negative factors such as poverty and food insecurity can have significant consequences, particularly in young children, and severely hinder their cognitive and physical growth. Such negative factors disproportionately affect people of color, who generally have lower educational attainment and lifetime income than their white counterparts. Key findings pertaining to this section of the report are highlighted below:

The data also show that only 51.06 percent of Louisiana’s children aged 3 and 4 are enrolled in an early education program.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The child poverty rate in Louisiana is one of the highest in the nation at 27.84 percent, more than 6 percentage points higher than the national average. The poverty rate for black children in Louisiana is more than 30 percentage points higher than the rate for white children.

The median household income in Louisiana is more than $9,000 less than the national average. The white median household income in Louisiana is over $28,000 higher than the black median household income.

The highest rates of child poverty and child food insecurity are found in parishes in the northeast corner of the state. particularly in East Carroll Parish (68.41 percent child poverty and 37.2 percent child food insecurity) and Madison Parish (54.82 percent child poverty and 31.5 percent child food insecurity). Conversely, the lowest rates of child poverty and child food insecurity are in Cameron Parish (8.42 percent child poverty and 16.2 percent child food insecurity) and St. Tammany Parish (14.23 percent child poverty and 17.8 percent child food insecurity).

Black people in Louisiana have the highest rate of single-parent households in the state at 68.87 percent, which exceeds the national rate for black people at 63.83 percent. The overall state rate for all groups is 43.64 percent and the national rate is 34.77 percent.

The data show a very strong positive relationship between childhood poverty and childhood food insecurity.

The data also show a moderate to strong positive relationship between single-parent households, on the one hand, and childhood poverty and food insecurity—all of which negatively affect childhood development.




Home environment continues to affect children into their primary and secondary education years. Those coming from financially secure homes generally perform better on tests than their poorer counterparts. Furthermore, the data show that wealthier districts generally receive higher district performance scores from the Louisiana Department of Education than poorer ones. High-income school districts can make up budget shortfalls with local revenue, whereas low-income school districts find this more difficult and sometimes impossible. Key findings pertaining to this section of the report are:

Public high school graduation rates in Louisiana (78 percent) are the lowest in the Gulf South and 7 percentage points below the national average.


A student’s compulsory education period ends in high school, but they may choose to pursue further studies at institutions of higher learning and vocational education. As discussed in the previous section, poverty harms educational performance, which can leave students academically underprepared for college. However, poverty also poses a barrier to access for post-secondary education in communities of limited financial means because of increasingly high costs at Louisiana institutions of higher learning. Key findings pertaining to this section of the report are highlighted below:

There is a moderate negative relationship between childhood food insecurity and college enrollment.

In Louisiana, students of color make up 55.30 percent of the public school system.

67.39 percent of Louisiana’s public school students are classified as “economically disadvantaged.”

The data show a moderate to strong positive relationship between a district’s performance score as determined by the Department of Education and median household income for families with children. The data also show a moderate to strong negative relationship between a district’s performance score and the rate of economically disadvantaged students in a district.

The data show a moderate to strong negative relationship between childhood poverty and the district performance score.

The data show that students from school districts with higher median incomes often score higher than students from lower-income districts on English and mathematics assessments in 4th grade and 8th grade, as well as the ACT standardized test for college admissions.

When adjusted for inflation, the average teacher’s salary in Louisiana has declined in value by more than $6,000 between 2008 and 2018, reflecting a failure of state and local funding for education.

There is a moderate positive relationship between median household income and college enrollment, as school districts with higher median incomes also have higher rates of college enrollment than poorer school districts.

There is a moderate positive relationship between ACT scores and college enrollment.

The average increase for Louisiana public college/university tuition, adjusted for inflation, from 2008 to 2018 was $4,773, the highest among the Gulf South states and nearly double the national average.

In 2017, the average tuition for one student at a public four-year university in Louisiana accounted for 19.4 percent of a family’s median household income. For white families, the average tuition accounted for just 15.6 percent of median household income, while that number is 31.7 percent for black families and 22.6 percent for Hispanic/Latino families.

The 2017 rate of enrollment in higher education for black high school graduates (55 percent) was 6 percentage points lower than that of white graduates.

More black and Hispanic people have less than a high school diploma than have a bachelor’s degree and above in Louisiana.



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THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Educational achievement for all people regardless of race is a central issue hindering long-term prosperity in Louisiana. Currently, communities of color suffer from a cycle of poverty caused by lower educational attainment rates, which in turn creates more poverty for the next generation of children even before starting their own education. Key findings pertaining to this section of the report are highlighted below:

ConclusionIt is clear from all four parts of this report that school districts/agencies must be targets for greater investment if the state of Louisiana is to move off the bottom of most social and economic indicators. This is our shared obligation in justice to the human dignity of our residents and the common good of our state. The consequences of continuing disparities in education, combined with the failure to address the social and economic well-being of Louisiana children and families, can only deepen inequality within our communities and darken our hopes for the future.

Individuals with higher educational attainment have higher median incomes, lower unemployment, and lower poverty rates than those with less education.

Those with lower levels of education generally have lower incomes, higher unemployment, and higher levels of poverty.



INTRODUCTIONRICH SCHOOL, POOR SCHOOL is a holistic analysis of the environmental and institutional conditions that affect education equity through the lens of Catholic social teaching. RICH SCHOOL, POOR SCHOOL begins with a demography of the state’s under age 18 population and goes on to examine the quality of public education provided in all 64 Louisiana parishes according to indicators divided into the three periods of an individual’s matriculation: early education, primary and secondary education (kindergarten through twelfth grade), and post-secondary education. The report concludes with an examination of the long-term impact of educational attainment.

For this study, “education equity” is defined as a state of education where social categories such as race or income are not an accurate predictor of academic success. “Educational attainment” is defined as the highest year of formal education completed or level of degree conferred. The framework used in this report views all active public institutions and systems of pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education as part of a parish’s educational infrastructure. The indicators reflect what is measurable so that policies can be implemented that are designed to close pertinent gaps.

Even when they are equally prepared, children from low-SES [socioeconomic status] families are less likely than their high-SES peers to enroll in postsecondary programs, complete college degrees, or have high SES as young adults. And among low-SES children, additional disparities are apparent by race and ethnicity.1

A 2019 report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce explains:

All education is cumulative and educational attainment—from less than a high school education to a doctorate—is the result of a long process that connects higher education to a child’s first words. This report shows that poverty is the greatest detriment to educational performance. This in turn hinders educational attainment. Moreover, increasing adult educational attainment improves the overall standard of living for individuals, families, and communities. The report also shows that communities of color suffer from a level of poverty that harms educational performance and produces lower adult educational attainment rates. This in turn creates more poverty for the next generation of children starting their own educational journey.



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In order to increase adult educational attainment, K-12 education must be improved through a robust allocation of resources, and childhood poverty must be addressed.

Multiple studies confirm the strong relationship between educational attainment and standard of living. A 2013 report by the Economic Policy Institute notes that:

States can build a strong foundation for economic success and shared prosperity by investing in education. Providing expanded access to high quality education will not only expand economic opportunity for residents, but also likely do more to strengthen the overall state economy than anything else a state government can do.2

Furthermore, the impact that education has on any community is cyclical. A child born into an environment is educated both formally and informally in that environment well into adulthood. The education an individual receives has a major effect on their standard of living as an adult, which subsequently becomes the environment in which their children begin their own educational matriculation.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church declares that access to education along with food, work, water, clothing, and shelter is necessary for a human being to lead a truly human life.3 The lack of educational equity, culminating in low educational attainment, has helped create many of Louisiana’s social and economic problems. This report concludes that by addressing issues within the home environment, such as poverty, while also improving aspects of the public education system, Louisiana’s leaders can foster educational equity in the state and improve the overall standard of living for its citizens.



The educational process begins at birth, long before a child attends kindergarten, which is typically at age five. The period from birth through age four is critical, because of rapid physiological and cognitive development which can be significantly impacted by a child’s environment. Factors such as poverty can have an especially negative effect on young children and their ability to grow and develop the cognitive skills that are crucial for future academic success. A 2016 report from the National Education Association explains, “Poverty influences the emotions, shapes the behaviors, changes the structure and processing of the brain, affects cognitive capacity especially in regard to executive function skills, and influences attitudes.”4 Children who are hungry, sick, homeless, poor, or abused have a harder time learning than those who are well fed, sheltered, financially secure, and safe. This is not because of some innate deficiency on the part of those who lack life’s necessities; rather it is because young people cannot learn adequately if they lack these necessities. In this section, data is reported on the state level and on the parish and municipal school district level.




8

Demographics and Family Structure

Louisiana is one of the poorest states in the country, with the third-highest share of people living below the poverty line.5 It is also a racially diverse state, with the second-largest black population by share in the country (after Mississippi). In this study, it is important as well to note the demography of the school-age population in the state and to explore economic and racial disparities across various indicators.

Figure 1.1 shows the population of children in Louisiana under 18 by race/ethnicity. According to the American Community Survey (ACS) 2016 5-year estimates, white children make up the largest racial group in the state at 50.68 percent.6 Black children comprise the second largest racial group at 36.46 percent. Hispanic/Latino children make up 5.87 percent, and children of other races (Indigenous, Asian, two or more races, and other racial/ethnic groups combined for statistical significance) make up 6.99 percent.

Louisiana Child (Under 18) Population by Race/Ethnicity

Figure 1.1

50.68%

36.46%

5.87%

6.99%


RICH SCHOOL, POOR SCHOOL: Education [In]Equity in Louisiana9 5

Louisiana also has a higher rate of children living in single-parent households, defined as male- or female-led homes with children under 18, than is found nationally. That rate is even higher for families of color. Studies have shown that children raised in single-parent homes generally complete less K-12 schooling and have lower rates of college completion than their peers from two-parent homes.7 Furthermore, single-parent households tend to have less free time and financial resources, making it a challenge to balance work, childcare, and education.

Figure 1.2 shows the rates of single-parent households among racial/ethnic groups in Louisiana and the United States according to the American Community Survey 2016 5-year estimates.8 In Louisiana, the average rate of all children in single-parent homes is 43.64 percent, compared to 34.77 percent nationally. White children have the lowest rate of single-parent households in Louisiana and the United States at 29.80 percent and 27.55 percent, respectively. Children of other racial/ethnic groups have the second lowest rates at 34.17 percent in Louisiana and 33.24 percent nationally, followed by Hispanic/Latino children at 38.72 percent in Louisiana and 39.93 percent nationally. Black children have the highest rate of single-parent households in Louisiana and the United States. In Louisiana, 68.87 percent of black children live in single-parent households, 25.23 percentage points above the state average for all children, compared to the national rate of 63.83 percent, 29.06 percentage points above the national average for all children.

Figure 1.2

Single-Parent Households by Race/Ethnicity in Louisiana and the United States



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Figure 1.3 shows the median household incomes by race/ethnicity in Louisiana and nationally. According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the overall median household income in Louisiana is $45,652, almost $10,000 less than the national average.9 The white median household income in Louisiana is $56,299, almost $5,000 less than the national average. The black median household income in Louisiana is $28,095, $8,556 less than the national average. Finally, the Hispanic/Latino median income in Louisiana is $43,286, $968 less than the national average.

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Household Income

The median household income in Louisiana is one of the lowest in the country, and this is especially true of households of color. Household income of families with children can serve as an indicator of a child’s environment. Households with higher incomes can insulate a child from major stressors that can be harmful to development, such as poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, and limited access to healthcare. Furthermore, parents in households with higher incomes tend to have higher educational attainment and are better positioned due to their financial and educational circumstances to create the environment that can allow their children to thrive.

This report will now examine the overall median household income by race/ethnicity in Louisiana, followed by the median household income of families with school-age children (under 18) by school district in the state.

Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity in Louisiana and the United States

Figure 1.3



Figure 1.4 shows the median household income of families with children under 18 in the top quintile, or 20 percent, (green) and bottom quintile, or 20 percent, (red) by school district in Louisiana.10 The top quintile ranges from $90,592 to $64,478, and the bottom quintile ranges from $38,409 to $19,295.

Later parts of this report will explore the relationship between district median incomes andeducational achievement and attainment.

The state median household income of families with children, according to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates.

$50,875

Figure 1.4

Median Household Income of Families with Children by School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)

Note: Figures represent the averages within a school district. Green represents the top quintile, or 20 percent.Blue represents the state median (as calculated from district averages), and Red represents the bottom quintile, or 20 percent.



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Poverty and Food Insecurity

Just as the median household income in Louisiana is one of the lowest in the country, its poverty rate is one of the highest. This again is especially true for people of color. Poverty can be one of the most harmful detriments to a child’s physical and cognitive development and can have lifelong consequences. Poor children are generally exposed to higher rates of violence, medical insecurity, housing instability, and food insecurity than non-poor children are.

Figure 1.5 shows the child poverty rates by race/ethnicity in Louisiana and the United States, according to the American Community Survey (ACS) 2016 5-year estimates.13 The overall child poverty rate in Louisiana, defined as children under the age of 18 living below the federal poverty line, is 27.84 percent, 6.67 percentage points higher than the national average. The poverty rate for black children in Louisiana and the nation as a whole is higher than the overall rate at 46.86 percent and 37.42 percent, respectively. In Louisiana, the black child poverty rate is 19.02 percentage points above the overall rate, whereas the white child poverty rate is 13.67 percentage points below the overall rate. Stated another way, of the 312,556 children that live in poverty in the state, 25.73 percent (80,424) of them are white, whereas 61.26 percent (191,475) of them are black and 13.01 percent are Hispanic/Latino or of other racial/ethnic groups.

Child poverty and food insecurity rates are strongly connected, and they are both disproportionately represented amongst people of color. According to 2016 data from Feeding America, the overall child food insecurity rate in Louisiana is 23 percent (255,640 children), 5.51 percentage points higher than the national average (17.49%).14 The highest rates of child poverty and child food insecurity are found in the northeast corner of the state, particularly in East Carroll Parish (68.41% child poverty and 37.20% child food insecurity) and Madison Parish (54.82% child poverty and 31.50% child food insecurity). Conversely, the lowest rates of child poverty and child food insecurity are in Cameron Parish (8.42% child poverty and 16.20% child food insecurity) and St. Tammany Parish (14.23% child poverty and 17.80% child food insecurity).

Figure 1.5

Child Poverty Rates by Race/Ethnicity (Under 18) in Louisiana and the United States

As the American Psychological Association reports,

“Low food security and hunger can contribute to toxic stress—the strong, unrelieved activation of the body’s stress management system.” 11

Exposure to toxic stress can slow or damage the physical development of a child’s brain and body and impede a child’s ability to focus and learn. Additionally, poverty and food insecurity may subject a child to ridicule and bullying since they often carry a stigma in American culture.12



Early Childhood Education

While studies have shown that enrollment in early childhood education programs can have a positive impact on a child’s academic success and future educational attainment, such programs also serve as a valuable childcare option for working parents.15

In Louisiana, options for early education are largely limited to families with the ability to pay for private/parochial school programs or low-income families eligible for state and federally funded programs which often have long waitlists.

It is also important to note that some parents choose not to enroll their children in early education programs, but rather opt to keep them at home or with relatives in the years before a child reaches the age to attend kindergarten. Despite policy efforts to increase access to early education in Louisiana, families who neither qualify for low-income programs nor can afford to pay private/parochial pre-school tuition are left with few options. According to ACS 2016 5-year estimates, just over half (51.06%) of children ages three and four are enrolled in an early education program statewide.16



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Birth to Age Four: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

The conditions into which children are born and their exposure to early education should be key concerns for policymakers when planning long-term economic development in Louisiana. It also should be a key concern for ordinary citizens, because this time in a child’s life is crucial for future success. In their 2017 report “Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow: The Business Case for High-Quality Childcare,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation wrote:

Developmental gaps between higher and lower income children have been observed among children as young as 9 months old. By 18 months, toddlers from low-income families can already be several months behind their more advantaged peers in language development. 17

This not only applies to education, but to children’s general well-being. Children from birth to age four are most susceptible to external factors, because their bodies and minds are developing rapidly in direct response to their environment.

The data in this study shows a moderate to strong negative relationship between median income, on the one hand, and child poverty, child food insecurity, and single-parent households. There is also a moderate to strong positive relationship between being a person of color under the age of 18 and being in poverty. This means that, in Louisiana, children of color have more exposure to the detriments of poverty when compared to white children.

All of these indicators—child poverty, child food insecurity, single-parent households, and the median household income for families with children—are metrics of the home environment. The home environment matters as much, if not more, than the school environment because students spend more of their time at home. Poverty has a clear negative impact on childhood development, the effects of which can follow an individual into primary education, secondary education, and adulthood.



The following action steps should be undertaken in order to address the issues pertinent to early childhood education:

A key means of addressing childhood poverty is to improve the income of the working poor. It is not enough for an individual to work a full-time job, but the job must pay a wage that allows the individual to meet their family financial obligations and unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. Louisiana lawmakers must replace the minimum wage with a living wage, which, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator, is $11.28 for a single adult and $18.57 for two adults with one child.18 The current federal minimum wage in Louisiana is $7.25, which is above the poverty wage of $5.85 for a single adult but below the poverty wage of $7.91 for two adults with one child.19 Increased wages mean more local economic activity and an increase in the standard of living. Expanding the state earned income tax credit (EITC) from 5 percent to 7 percent would be a significant step towards alleviating the burdens of poverty. Whatever the means, more action must be taken to improve family income in the state.

Child Poverty

For many low-income families, food security is dependent upon a combination of government services and philanthropy to supplement low wages. In order to directly address food insecurity, both federal and state lawmakers must guarantee that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch programs will be fully funded and never be subject to budget cuts.20 SNAP is by far the most impactful food assistance program in the state of Louisiana and in the nation. According to the 2018 Jesuit Social Research Institute report Hungry at the Banquet: Food Insecurity in Louisiana 2018, 25 percent of Louisiana families rely on SNAP to meet their monthly food needs and two thirds of recipients are children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.21 Federal lawmakers must tread lightly concerning adding work requirements to SNAP benefits, because they can result in families in need of food assistance being deemed ineligible. However, even relying on government programs like SNAP to address hunger is inadequate for many families.22

Food Insecurity

Food banks, food pantries, and other models also play an important role in addressing food insecurity. These programs are designed to provide short-term assistance to food insecure families; however, they are increasingly being used for long-term assistance because of the persistence of food insecurity caused by low family incomes. Access to food programs is a concern for both urban and rural populations.23 In order to address the growing need for assistance, public-private partnerships should be developed to hold regular food drives and provide mobile food pantries in order to reach communities with little access to food assistance.

Louisiana is also a state with many food deserts—locations where there is little access to fresh produce and affordable groceries. Grocery stores sustain themselves on narrow profit margins; and, because residents in food deserts have limited spending power, the state must step in to provide incentives for grocery stores to open or remain open in these areas.24 The Louisiana legislature passed the Health Food Retail Act in 2010, but it did not receive even modest funding until 2016.25 The current budget of 2 million dollars must be increased and protected from budget cuts so that the program may begin to address food deserts more effectively. The state should also create grants that would allow current small retailers to carry healthy perishable foods.26



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Early Education and Childcare

The most direct step that lawmakers can take to provide universal access to early education is to allocate the necessary state and local funds to build and staff early education centers in both rural and urban areas as fully functioning parts of the state public education system and under the oversight of local education agencies. This will provide parents, including single parents, with options for safe and sanitary childcare during their working hours while providing children with important educational exposure. There has been positive activity in this regard from state lawmakers and education policy makers. The state programs (to the right) should be expanded.27

The authors of this report support the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission’s recommendation for creating a statewide early education program for children from birth-to-age 3 in the same manner as Picard LA 4 program.28 In addition to state programs, the federal government should expand funding for the Head Start program, the Preschool Expansion Grant program, and the Early Steps program for children from birth-to-age 3 who have medical conditions likely to cause developmental delays.

The 8(g) Student Enhancement Block Grant Program which helps at-risk preschool age students attend preschool.

The Child Care Assistance Program which assists low-income families with childcare costs while they are working or at school.

Cecil J Picard LA 4 early childhood program which provides public preschool for four-year-olds from economically disadvantaged families.

The Nonpublic Schools Early Childhood Development Program (NSECD) which provides funding for four-year-old children whose families qualify for TANF to attend private preschool.




At age five, children in Louisiana typically begin formal education, usually in kindergarten. Elementary and secondary education (K-12) are critical periods in an individual’s matriculation because it prepares them for post-secondary education at a university or trade school. With the exception of homeschooling, Louisiana families have two options for their children: public education, including charter and lab schools, or private education, which includes parochial schools. Private schools tend to have access to greater resources, selective admission, more flexibility in curriculum, and the ability to offer a wider range of extracurricular programs than public schools. In Louisiana, private schools are also largely attended by white students. According to 2015-2016 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, while just 10.58 percent of all Louisiana K-12 students attend private schools, 77.09 percent of those students are white.29

Since almost 90 percent of Louisiana’s K-12 students attend public school, this section will examine data pertaining to Louisiana’s public education system. There are a multitude of public education agencies operating in Louisiana’s 64 parishes. The agencies consist of traditional parish-wide school systems, charter schools operating under the parish school system, independent charter schools, state independent schools, university laboratory schools, type-2 charter schools, and the Recovery School District. This section focuses on the 69 parish-wide and municipal school districts only, except where otherwise noted, as the total public-school system.



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Public School Characteristics

In Louisiana, students of color make up more than half of the total public school system (55.30%).30 As the previous section on income and poverty indicates, many of these students come from families who struggle to meet their basic financial needs. In fact, over two-thirds (67.39%) of students in Louisiana’s public school system are classified as “economically disadvantaged”—a classification that not only recognizes a student’s financial condition, but also additional factors that indicate the possibility that a student may be at-risk academically.31 Students classified as “economically disadvantaged” meet any of the following criteria: low-income, English language learners, eligible for disaster food assistance, from a family that qualifies for Louisiana’s program to help parents with children become self-sufficient, eligible for Louisiana’s healthcare program for families and individuals with limited financial resources, eligible for free and reduced lunch, homeless, incarcerated in an adult or juvenile facility, or in custody of the state.32

School District Performance Scores

The Louisiana Department of Education assesses public school districts annually based on factors related to student performance, and assigns a numerical score and corresponding letter grade. The District Performance Scores (DPS) are designed to assess the academic progress of public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade using test scores from literacy assessments, LEAP (Louisiana Educational Assessment Program) end-of-course tests, and the ACT.

According to the 2017 DPS report, the state composite score, calculated from individual district scores, is 86.8 with a corresponding letter grade of “B.”33



This stagnation places a heavier burden on poorer districts because they do not have the local resources or industry to justify increasing their local sales and property taxes. Consequently, these poorer districts cannot supplement what they get from the MFP, resulting in large variations in performance and quality among school districts/agencies.36 Furthermore, wealthier districts are able to attract seasoned teachers with better pay, while the poorer districts are forced to rely on less experienced or uncertified teachers who have higher attrition rates in order to close localized shortages.

Student Expenditures, Teacher Salaries, and Staffing

Schools cannot educate the students in their charge adequately without proper funding. In Louisiana, a school district’s or agency’s revenue and expenditures are determined by the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula. Developed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and approved or rejected by the state legislature in an up or down vote annually, the MFP sets the base amount that districts/agencies are required to spend on students. The MFP consists of four levels: Level one increases funding to a district/agency based on enrollment counts of specific types of students, such as English language learners, low-income students, special education students, and gifted and talented students; Level two provides an incentive for districts/agencies to spend more than the base amount by matching one-third of any additional funds spent by the local district/agency, up to a cap; Level 3 is any funding allocated by the state legislature for specific purposes such as pay raises; Level 4 is supplementary funding for specific programs with their own methods of allocation such as career development and foreign language instruction.34

While the MFP formula aims to create an equal public education experience for students regardless of background, due to stagnation in education funds over the last several years, it is clear that the process must be reexamined. Neva Butkus and Haley Grieshaber of the Louisiana Budget Project wrote:

States across the country froze or reduced spending on K-12 education after the 2008 Great Recession as tax revenue suffered amid the economic downturn. Louisiana was no exception, and as of 2016 it was among the 25 states where inflation-adjusted K-12 spending remains below pre-recession levels.35



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Figure 2.1 shows the Louisiana parish and municipal school districts in the top (green) and bottom (red) quintiles for average per-pupil expenditures. According to 2017-2018 data from the Louisiana Department of Education, the state median per-pupil expenditure amount is $12,429.37 The top quintile ranges from $25,331 to $14,979, and the bottom quintile ranges from $11,306 to $9,764.

Figure 2.1

2017-2018 Per-Pupil Expenditures by School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)




One of the more urgent problems facing public education, both in Louisiana and in the United States as a whole, is that of teacher staffing and retention. Fewer teachers lead to less overall instruction and guidance within a school as well as larger class sizes. Several factors contribute to the issue of teacher shortages, but among the most significant is low wages.38 Ultimately, what suffers most from underpaying teachers are the students under their instruction who are likely not receiving the quality and attention that they deserve.

Figure 2.2 shows the average salaries for kindergarten through twelfth grade public school teachers by state in the Gulf South and the nation.39 According to 2016-2017 data from the National Education Association, the Louisiana average public school teacher salary was $50,000, $8,950 less than the national average.

Among the Gulf South states, Texas had the highest teacher salary at $52,575, followed by Louisiana. Mississippi had the lowest teacher salary at $42,925, followed by Alabama at $48,868 and Florida at $49,407. According to the data presented in the figure above, all of the Gulf South states had teacher salaries below the national average.

Figure 2.2

Average Public School Teacher Salaries by Gulf South States and the United States: 2016-2017 (Grades K-12)



22

Figure 2.3 shows the median annual salary for public school teachers in Louisiana from 2008 to 2018 according to the Louisiana Department of Education.40 The blue line represents current dollars, the value of the dollar in the year that it was received, while the red line represents constant 2018 dollars, the value of the dollar adjusted for inflation. On paper, the average teacher salary in Louisiana appears to have modestly increased from $48,627 to $50,589, or $1,962, from 2008 to 2018 (the blue line). However, when adjusted for inflation using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI), the average teacher salary in Louisiana has actually decreased in value from $57,085 (in constant 2018 dollars) to $50,589, more than $6,000 (the red line).

Figure 2.3

Median Annual Louisiana Public School Teacher Salary: 2008-2018 (Elementary/Secondary)

In other words, the average teacher salary in 2008, $48,627, had the same purchasing power that a salary of $57,085 would have in 2018.

$57,085

$48,627

$50,589



Just as low teacher salaries can hinder educational quality and contribute to teacher shortages, teacher supports and class sizes can have similar effects. Pupil-teacher ratio is best understood as a proxy for how many teachers are present in a given district as well as classroom size. School districts with higher ratios tend to have more students per classroom, resulting in less one-on-one attention a student receives from a teacher.

While there is no consensus on optimal pupil-teacher ratio, a higher ratio can have a negative impact on student academic progress and classroom management.41

Figure 2.4 shows the average pupil-teacher ratios by state for public schools, grades kindergarten through twelve.42 According to 2016-2017 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the national average pupil-teacher ratio was 16.1 students to one teacher. Among the Gulf South states, Alabama had the highest average pupil-teacher ratio at 17.51 students to one teacher, followed by Texas at 15.19 to one. Louisiana had the lowest average pupil-teacher ratio at 14.8 students to one teacher, 1.3 less than the national average, which is a positive sign. Florida had the second-lowest pupil-teacher ratio at 15.12 students to one teacher, followed by Mississippi at 15.13.

Figure 2.4

Average Pupil-Teacher Ratios by Gulf South States and the United States: 2016-2017 (Grades K-12)

Academic Performance

“The end of third grade marks the point when children transition from learning to read to using reading to learn other subjects. Children who read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to graduate from high school and to be economically successful in adulthood.”43

Proficiency in English Language and mathematics are essential for academic and occupational success, and the skills developed during the educational process are cumulative. If a student falls behind their appropriate level long enough, it can be difficult, or even impossible, to catch up.

In a 2014 report, the Annie F. Casey Foundation explained,

The same is also true of mathematics.



24

This report examines the 2017 English and math LEAP scores as well as ACT scores as indicators of academic performance because these tests are standardized and provide a stable metric for comparing student performance across school districts/agencies. Test scores are examined from 4th, 8th and 12th grades as these grade levels allow for a reliable comparison of progress achieved in four-year increments. In order to create the metric of “basic or above” for LEAP results, the authors combined the reported percentages for scores qualifying as basic, mastery, and advanced into a single percentage.

Figure 2.5 shows the top and bottom quintiles of the percentage of 4th grade students by school district/agency with English and math LEAP scores meeting the basic proficiency level or higher. According to 2017 data from the Louisiana Department of Education, the state median percentage of 4th grade students with LEAP scores of basic or above for English and math is 72 percent and 71 percent, respectively.44

Figure 2.5

Percentage of 4th Grade Students by Parish and Municipal School District with LEAP Scores of Basic or Above in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)

Note: Figures represent the percentage of 4th grade students with LEAP scores qualifying as basic or above in the school district. The state median was calculated using the district percentages. Basic is considered the benchmark for the tests.



Figure 2.6 shows the top and bottom quintiles of the percentage of 8th grade students by school district/agency with English and math LEAP scores meeting the basic proficiency level or higher.45 According to 2017 data from the Louisiana Department of Education, the state median percentage of 8th grade students with LEAP scores of basic or above for English and math is 73 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

Figure 2.6

Percentage of 8th Grade Students by Parish and Municipal School District with LEAP Scores of Basic or Above in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)

Note: Figures represent the percentage of 8th grade students with LEAP scores qualifying as basic or above in the school district. The state median was calculated using the district percentages. Basic is considered the benchmark for the tests.

The state median percentage of students scoring basic or above in math shows a sharp decrease of 21 percentage points between the 4th and 8th grades, whereas English scores remained somewhat consistent.



26

Figure 2.7 shows the top (green) and bottom (red) quintiles of the 2018 average composite ACT scores by school district for Louisiana.46 According to the Louisiana Department of Education, the state median composite ACT score is 18.8, 2 points lower than the average composite score for the United States. The top quintile ranges from 21.9 to 19.8, and the bottom quintile ranges from 17.6 to 15.6.

Figure 2.7

Average Composite 2018 ACT Scores by Parish and Municipal School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)

Out of the 15 school districts ranked in the top quintile, 7 of them are also ranked in the top quintiles for percentage of students scoring basic or above in 4th and 8th grade English and math (Zachary Community School District, Plaquemines Parish, Central Community School District, Livingston Parish, St. Charles Parish, Vernon Parish, and Vermilion Parish). Out of the 15 school districts ranked in the bottom quintile, 5 of them are also ranked in the bottom quintiles for percentage of students scoring basic or above in 4th and 8th grade English and math (Morehouse Parish, Avoyelles Parish, Madison Parish, Bogalusa School District, and Tensas Parish).




High School Graduation and University/College Enrollment

Ultimately, the express purpose of primary and secondary education is to provide students with the crucial skills needed to succeed as adults. Students who complete the required high school courses are awarded a diploma, while other students who elect to leave school prematurely or do not meet the academic requirements must seek out alternative options if they choose to complete their high school education. In any case, a high school diploma or equivalent is necessary for many jobs and if a student intends to seek a post-secondary education, such as community college, a university, or vocational training.

Figure 2.9 shows the 2017 rate of Louisiana students enrolled in college or university in the fall after graduating from high school by race.48 According to the Louisiana Department of Education, the average rate of college enrollment is 58 percent. The rate for black students is 55 percent, 6 percentage points lower than the average for white students.

Figure 2.8

Public High School Graduation Rates by Gulf South States and the United States: 2016-2017

Figure 2.8 shows the average public high school graduation rates for the Gulf South states and the nation.47 According to 2016-2017 data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the national average graduation rate was 85 percent. Among the Gulf South states, Louisiana had the lowest average graduation rate at 78 percent, 7 percentage points below the national average. Florida had the second-lowest average graduation rate at 82 percent, followed by Mississippi at 83 percent. Texas had the highest graduation rates at 90 percent, 5 percentage points above the national average.

Figure 2.9

Louisiana Students Enrolled in College/University the Fall After Graduating from High School by Race

As previously stated, kindergarten through twelfth grade education is intended to prepare students for success as adults. However, for many occupations, a high school diploma alone is insufficient; and a minimum of a bachelor’s degree is often required. This report examines college enrollment as an indicator of a school district/agency’s ability to prepare students for post-secondary education, which the data show is an indicator that further illustrates the pattern of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic gaps that permeate Louisiana’s public education system.



28

Figure 2.10 shows the Louisiana school districts/agencies in the top (green) and bottom (red) quintiles for rates of high school graduates enrolled in college/university the fall after graduation.49 According to the Louisiana Department of Education, the 2017 Louisiana district/agency median for college enrollment after graduation is 55.88 percent. The top quintile ranges from 71.49 percent to 62.41 percent, and the bottom quintile ranges from 50.54 percent to 34.55 percent.

High School Graduates Enrolled in College the Fall after Graduation by Parish and Municipal School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)

Figure 2.10




Primary and Secondary Education:

Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

In this section, the authors examine the relationship between a student’s K-12 academic achievement and household income. While a child’s home environment often serves as a basis for future development and academic achievement, primary and secondary education can play a significant role in mitigating negative experiences, such as child poverty. Financial resources are essential for ensuring that schools are adequately staffed, necessary materials are available, and facilities are properly maintained. In Louisiana, there is a clear divide between wealthy and poor school districts that manifests in the academic performance and eventual educational attainment of the students within those districts. While school districts in high-income areas usually can make up any budget shortfalls with local revenue, those in low-income areas are forced to stretch their budgets to cover the basics.

The data show a moderate to strong positive relationship between a district’s performance score, as determined by the Louisiana Department of Education, and the median household income for families with children. The data also show a moderate to strong negative relationship between a district’s performance score and the percent of economically disadvantaged students in a district. There is also a moderate to strong negative relationship between a district’s performance score, on the one hand, and single-parent households and child poverty. There is a moderate to strong positive relationship between a district’s non-white, under 18 population and its economically disadvantaged rates, and a moderate to strong negative relationship between a district’s non-white, under 18 population and the district performance score.

The data also indicate a moderate positive relationship between median household income and college enrollment, as school districts with higher median incomes have higher rates of college enrollment than poorer school districts. It should be noted that the relationship between per-pupil expenditures and college enrollment are positive weak to moderate, while a weak to moderate positive relationship exists between teacher salary and college enrollment. This may suggest that a school district’s financial characteristics are just one factor in a larger combination of school and home environments.

Furthermore, the data show that students from wealthier school districts often score higher than students from low-income districts on English and mathematics assessments (LEAP) in 4th grade and 8th grade, as well as the ACT. The wealthiest school districts are consistently ranked in the top quintiles for test scores, whereas the poorest districts are consistently ranked in the bottom quintiles.



30

The following action steps should be undertaken in order to address the issues pertinent to this period of primary and secondary education:

Funding and Teacher Salaries

State and federal lawmakers need to increase level 1, 3, and 4 education funding according to the MFP. Increasing the MFP across these levels would narrow the gap in per-pupil expenditures between rich and poor districts. Additionally, state and local lawmakers should allocate additional funds to increase teacher pay to keep up with inflation, at a minimum.

Efforts should be made to recruit and retain high quality and effective teachers and guidance counselors by increasing salaries and providing incentives, such as benefits packages, aimed at attracting educators to poor or underperforming districts. Ensuring that districts and schools are properly staffed would help to create and keep class sizes manageable while also providing support to teachers and staff.

Staffing and Retention

High School Graduation Rates and College Enrollment

There is no single policy prescription that can increase graduation rates, but improving these numbers is the cumulative result of multiple policies. To increase graduation and college enrollment rates across the board, state lawmakers must take appropriate measures to increase the teacher pool as well as provide districts with the supplementary funds for the educational resources they need. Smaller class sizes can allow districts to identify learning deficiencies, such as being below grade-appropriate reading and math levels, so they can provide struggling students with necessary academic intervention.




After graduating from high school, typically between ages 17 and 19, students must decide whether to pursue further education credentials. Although previous generations were able to obtain jobs that earned a living wage with just a high school education, such opportunities are increasingly rare.50 A rise in globalization and increased use of automation have led to the replacement of low-skilled labor, creating a greater demand for a more educated and specialized workforce.51 Therefore, future economic prosperity in Louisiana and in the country as a whole is dependent upon expanding the population with vocational training and college degrees. Ensuring equal access to all students, regardless of race/ethnicity or income, who wish to attend a college or university is a crucial part of increasing the educational attainment of Louisiana citizens. Louisiana is home to a number of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which have left an indelible mark upon the state’s educational landscape by increasing access for students. In this section, data is reported on the state level and on the parish and municipal school district level



32

Public University/College Tuition

In addition to test scores, especially the ACT, and grades, higher education tuition is a very significant barrier to students who wish to pursue a degree. Many students have a variety of options available to help meet the financial obligations of college attendance. Those options, however, are less accessible than they were before the 2008 Great Recession. Because of this, more students are taking out student loans and working multiple jobs in order to afford the cost of tuition and other costs of attendance.

In the most difficult years after the recession, colleges responded to significant funding cuts by increasing tuition, reducing faculty, limiting course offerings, and, in some cases, closing campuses. Funding has rebounded slightly since then, but costs remain high and services in some places have not returned.52

Figure 3.1 shows the average tuition increases from 2008 to 2018, adjusted for inflation, for four-year public colleges/universities by Gulf South states and the nation.53 According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the average increase for Louisiana public college/university tuition from 2008 to 2018 was $4,773, the highest among the Gulf South states and nearly double the national average. Alabama had the second-highest increase in tuition at $4,329, followed by Mississippi at $2,364. Texas had the lowest average tuition increase at $2,210, followed by Florida at $2,360.

Figure 3.1

2008-2018 Public College/University Average Tuition Increase by Gulf South States and the United States

As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote in a 2018 report:



Even with the varied costs of different institutions, the burden of increased tuition has not hit all racial/ethnic groups in Louisiana equally. For example, in 2017 the average tuition at a public four-year university accounted for 19.4 percent of a family’s median household income.55 For white families the average tuition accounted for just 15.6 percent of median household income, while that number is 31.7 percent for black families and 22.6 percent for Hispanic/Latino families.56

Figure 3.2

2007-2017 Average Louisiana College/University Tuition & Fees Increase by School Type

Figure 3.2 shows the average in-state tuition and fee increases from 2007 to 2017 for Louisiana colleges/universities by type of school according to data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).54 The average increase for all Louisiana colleges/universities was $4,882. Community/technical colleges had the lowest increase at $2,480, followed by historically black colleges/universities at $4,780. Predominately white colleges/universities had the highest average increase at $6,353.



34

Educational Attainment

Education is the key to Louisiana’s future. A 2018 report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University emphasizes the following:

Education matters. More and more, good jobs are going to workers with bachelor’s degrees, who now hold 55 percent of all good jobs. For workers without B.A.s, associate’s degrees have become increasingly important for finding a good job. More associate’s degree holders are getting good jobs, while the number of these jobs held by workers with a high school diploma or less is in decline.57

Figure 3.3 shows the educational attainment for adults over the age of 25 in Louisiana and the United States.58 According to the American Community Survey (ACS) 2016 5-year estimates, 16.18 percent of adults over 25 in Louisiana do not have a high school diploma or GED, 3.16 percentage points above the national average. 33.87 percent of adults in Louisiana have only a high school education or GED, 6.34 percentage points above the national average. 26.98 percent have some college or an associate’s degree in Louisiana, compared to 29.13 percent nationally. Finally, only 22.96 percent of adults in Louisiana have a bachelor’s degree or higher, 7.36 percentage points lower than the national average.

Figure 3.3

Educational Attainment of Adults Over 25 in Louisiana and United States

For Louisiana and the nation as a whole, future economic prosperity as well as social and racial equality, are dependent upon an educated workforce.



Figure 3.4 shows the educational attainment by race/ethnicity for adults over the age of 25 in Louisiana according to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates.59 To focus on those with the most and the least education, 12.18 percent of white adults have less than a high school diploma, while 26.91 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher. For black adults over 25 in Louisiana, only 14.33 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 22.32 percent have less than a high school diploma.

Of Hispanic/Latino adults in Louisiana, only 17.46 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 28.92 percent have less than a high school diploma. Finally, 25.51 percent of adults of other racial/ethnic groups have less than a high school diploma, while 26.02 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Figure 3.4

Educational Attainment by Race for Adults Over 25 in Louisiana



36

Figure 3.5 shows the top (green) and bottom (red) quintiles of adults over 25 with less than a high school diploma by school district in Louisiana.60 According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the Louisiana district/agency median for adults over 25 with less than a high school diploma is 19.32 percent. The top quintile ranges from 6.83 to 14.33 percent, and the bottom quintile ranges from 23.76 to 29.56 percent.

Figure 3.5

Adults Over 25 with Less Than a High School Diplomaby School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)




Figure 3.6 shows the top (green) and bottom (red) quintiles of adults over 25 with some college education or higher, including associate’s degrees, by school district/agency in Louisiana.61 According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the Louisiana district/agency median for adults over 25 with some college or higher is 38.77 percent. The top quintile ranges from 67.39 percent to 50.85 percent, and the bottom quintile ranges from 34.69 percent to 30.53 percent.

Figure 3.6

Adults Over 25 with Some College or Higher Educational Attainment by School District in Louisiana (Top and Bottom Quintiles)




38

Post-Secondary Education: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations

Institutions of higher education and vocational education are the end of a student’s formal matriculation, which typically is around ages 22-25. The exceptions are further graduate studies, advanced certifications, and medical school. Educational attainment is the ultimate measure of the health of Louisiana’s educational infrastructure. As noted earlier, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in the future, higher education credentials will be required for jobs with better salaries, which in turn affects health outcomes and standard of living for workers.62 The data show that a significant majority of adults (83.82 percent) in Louisiana have a high school diploma and above, which follows the national trend. While this is a positive sign regarding the overall functionality of education in Louisiana, when examined racially, disparities become evident.

In the years following the recession, Louisiana universities raised their tuitions by an average higher than the other Gulf South States. For black and brown families in Louisiana, the costs of higher education present a strain on the household that is clearly less for white families. Regarding those with less than high school education, white people have far lower rates than any other racial group. At the other end of the educational attainment spectrum, white people and people of other races have similar rates of bachelor’s and higher degree attainment while black people and Hispanics have significantly lower rates.

It is clear from the data that Louisiana’s educational infrastructure is not serving the non-white populations well, which is evidenced by the fact that both of those groups have higher rates of less than a high school diploma than bachelor’s degree and above.

Over 49 percent of Louisiana’s under 18 population is non-white. If current educational disparities evident in the data for adult education attainment continue for the under 18 population, low educational attainment will continue to be a roadblock for future economic prosperity and social mobility in the state. Louisiana cannot thrive if nearly half of its population lags behind the majority in educational attainment.

In the section beginning on page 41, the authors will examine the long-term impacts of educational attainment on the individual and community.



The following action steps should be undertaken in order to address the issues pertinent to this period of matriculation:

College/University Tuition

The cost of attendance is a major barrier for many students to enter and stay in college without accruing large amounts of debt. Federal and state lawmakers must increase funding for public universities and community colleges to at least pre-recession levels, adjusted for inflation, in order to drive down costs. This would reduce the dependency on student loans and multiple jobs and increase of efficacy of grant programs in covering more of the cost of attendance. By making college more affordable, more students will be able to attend and graduate with less debt. This increases the adult educational attainment while putting money into local economies.

State lawmakers must also increase funding for college incentive programs. Currently, Louisiana offers the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), a merit-based scholarship, and Go Grants, a needs-based scholarship, as incentives to get more Louisiana students to enroll at in-state colleges.63

As tuitions rise and the cost of attendance increasingly becomes an access barrier for many families across the nation, programs like TOPS and Go Grants are vital for guaranteeing access to higher education for many of Louisiana’s students. Louisiana lawmakers should dedicate adequate funds to TOPS to cover tuition and university fees, without interruption of funding disbursement, and increase funding for Go Grants so that they cover more of the tuition costs. It is crucial to ensure that both Go Grants and TOPS are reliable financial sources for college tuition for eligible students, providing a pathway to a college education that might otherwise not be available.



40



CONCLUSION: THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

The cumulative nature of education ends in adult educational attainment. Education is an investment, and one return on that investment is the standard of living a person enjoys. Educational achievement for all people regardless of race is a central issue hindering long-term prosperity in Louisiana. Studies show that individuals with lower educational attainment have higher rates of poverty than those with higher educational attainment.64 This increases the demand for government spending on social services and incarceration.65 Lower education rates limit economic opportunity and subsequently hinder the quality of life and the likelihood of social mobility. The effect is most clear in looking at three areas—earnings, unemployment, and poverty—and the disparities by educational attainment.



42

Some College/Associate’s

Bachelor’s Degree

Less Than HS/GED

HS Diploma/GED Graduate/Professional

Degree

Earnings

Figure 4.1 shows the median earnings for adults over the age of 25 by educational attainment in Louisiana and the United States.66 According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the median earnings for an individual in Louisiana, regardless of educational attainment, is $34,544 annually, compared to $36,810 nationally. Adults without a high school diploma or GED earn $20,565 annually in Louisiana, and $20,924 nationally. Median earnings for adults with a high school diploma or GED in Louisiana are $28,384 and $28,672 in the United States. In Louisiana, adults with some college or an associate’s degree earn $32,088, $2,324 less annually than the national average. The median earnings for adults with a bachelor’s degree in Louisiana are $47,057, $4,037 less annually than the national average. Finally, adults with a graduate or professional degree in Louisiana earn $58,049, almost $10,000 less annually than the national average.

In Louisiana, an adult with a high school diploma or GED earns almost $8,000 more annually than an adult without a high school diploma or GED, and an adult with a bachelor’s degree earns over $18,000 more annually than an adult with only a high school diploma or GED.

Figure 4.1

Median Earnings by Educational Attainment for Adults Over 25 in Louisiana and the United States



Unemployment

Figure 4.2 shows the average unemployment rates by educational attainment for adults ages 25 to 64 in Louisiana and the United States.67 According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the overall unemployment rate, regardless of educational attainment is 6.24 percent in Louisiana, compared to 6.07 percent in the United States. For adults without a high school diploma or GED, the unemployment rate is the highest at 13.31 percent in Louisiana and 11.22 percent nationally.

The unemployment rate for adults with a high school diploma or GED is 7.04 percentage points in Louisiana, slightly over one percentage point higher than those with some college or an associate’s degree (5.98%). Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher have the lowest unemployment rate of just 3 percent in Louisiana and 3.35 percent nationally. Louisiana’s unemployment rate is lower than the national rate in every educational category except for those with less a than high school diploma/GED.

Figure 4.2

Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment in Louisiana and the United States (Adults 25-64)

Less Than HS Diploma

HS Diploma/GED Some College/Associate’s

Bachelor’s orHigher

All



44

Less Than HS Diploma

HS Diploma/GED Some College/Associate’s

Bachelor’s orHigher

All

Poverty

Figure 4.3 shows the poverty rates for adults over 25 by educational attainment in Louisiana and the United States.68 According to the ACS 2016 5-year estimates, the poverty rate for adults in Louisiana, regardless of educational attainment is 15.45 percent, compared to 11.79 percent nationally. The poverty rate is the highest for adults without a high school diploma or GED at 32.11 percent in Louisiana, and 27.07 percent nationally. For adults with a high school diploma or GED, the poverty rate in Louisiana is 17.05 percent, compared to 14.27 percent nationally. For adults with some college or an associate’s degree, the poverty rate is 12.87 percent in Louisiana and 10.43 percent nationally. The poverty rate is the lowest by a substantial amount for adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher in Louisiana and the United States at 5.02 percent and 4.53 percent, respectively.

The data clearly show that in Louisiana and the nation as a whole, those with higher levels of education generally have a better standard of living than those with less education. Individuals with higher educational attainment have higher median incomes, lower unemployment, and lower poverty rates than those with less education.

Figure 4.3

Poverty Rate by Educational Attainment for Adults Over 25 in Louisiana and the United States

Those with lower levels of education generally have lower incomes, higher unemployment, and higher levels of poverty. Ultimately, this completes the educational cycle while also establishing the conditions into which the next generation is born.



Conclusion

This data presented in this study of education equity in Louisiana indicate that the greatest detriment to educational performance and, subsequently, future adult educational attainment is poverty. Poverty in the home environment delays and diminishes educational development, even prior to formal schooling. The impact of poverty carries over into elementary and secondary education and is reflected in elementary school testing and the ACT college admission test. Poverty then diminishes the opportunity to access college, university, and technical training both academically and financially. And, ultimately, the level of educational attainment usually determines family economic security and the environment in which the next generation of children are formed and educated.

Because poverty is concentrated in higher levels in communities of color in Louisiana, the data in this study have shown its racial effects in the acute disparities by race/ethnicity in accessing and affording higher education and levels of educational attainment and, ultimately, economic security. Because of the close relationship of poverty to poor test results and other educational measures, the disparate racial impact runs throughout the levels of education—from preschool to elementary to secondary to higher education—and locks people into a cycle of educational underachievement. Inequality in education, especially based on race and socioeconomic status, undermines the short-term and long-term economic and social stability of communities of color and, as a consequence, communities as a whole. As the U.S. Catholic Bishops explained forty years ago,

Racism and economic oppression are distinct but interrelated forces which dehumanize our society. Movement toward authentic justice demands a simultaneous attack on both evils. 69

Policies, practices, and institutions that restrict access to quality education for any children, whether low-income or children of color—are oppressive practices that adversely affect the standard of living of millions of poor and marginalized people. This makes them socially unjust and therefore immoral.



46

This study further indicates that increasing adult educational attainment improves the overall standard of living for all of us. Improving educational attainment requires the necessary investments to educate children and to offset the disparate impact of poverty, race, and ethnicity on education. Any disparities in education in the United States and specifically in Louisiana—whether economic or racial—should be of great concern to policy makers, educational administrators, families, and students. They are indicative of deeper systemic concerns, but chief among them must be alleviating poverty. Louisiana cannot prosper, economically and socially, so long as education is unstable due to budget constraints and clear economic and racial disparities. Bad policy initiatives created or enabled by the federal, state, and municipal governments created our current educational disparities. Good policy and practices can close those same gaps.

Catholic Social Teaching considers educational equity to be a pertinent social justice issue because it is necessary for integral human development, and any violation of this requires deliberate remedy.70

In Gravissimum Educationis, The Second Vatican Council declared, “All men of every race, condition and age, since they enjoy the dignity of a human being, have an inalienable right to an education.”71

As stated earlier, the Catechism of the Catholic Church declares that education is necessary for a human being to lead a truly human life and is as much a necessity as food, work, water, clothing, and shelter.72 If we, as a society, provide people with what they need to develop as human beings, then we shall prosper as a community.



METHODOLOGY

The data were gathered from the United States Census American Community Survey 2016 five-year averages, the National Center for Education Statistics, the Louisiana Department of Education, and Feeding America. Data was organized according to public school district in order to standardized indicators, with the exception of child food insecurity data which was not available by district. Pearson’s R correlations were computed in order to examine the strength of the relationships between each indicator and whether the relationships are positive or negative. The resulting correlation coefficients (r) were entered into a correlation matrix and relationships were assigned a blue scale for positive correlations and an orange scale for negative correlations. For both color scales, lighter shades indicate weaker relationships and darker shades indicate stronger relationships. The strength and direction of the relationships between each indicator were evaluated according to the standard interpretation of the correlation coefficient (r) as determined by Pearson R correlation tests shown to the right. The data were also divided into quintiles for the purposes of discussion and in order to identify patterns among indicators.

None to Very weak

Weak to moderate

Moderate

Moderate to strong

Very Strong to Perfect

0-0.1

0.2-0.3

0.4-0.5

0.6-0.8

0.9-1

Strength of relationship

The following figure shows the correlation matrix and the correlation coefficients for each relationship



48

Endnotes

1 Carnevale, A., Fasules, M., Quinn, M., Campbell, K. (2019), Born to Win,

Schooled to Lose: Georgetown University Center on Education and the

Workforce. p.5.

2 Berger, N., & Fisher, P. (2013). A well-educated workforce is key to state

prosperity. Economic Policy Institute, 22(1), 1-14.

3 Catholic Church. (1993). Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, 1908.

4 Ernest Izard (2016). Teaching Children from Poverty and Trauma. National

Education Association, 12.

5 U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey, 2017 5-Year Estimates;

Retrieved from American FactFinder.



7 Ziol-Guest, K. M., Duncan, G. J., & Kalil, A. (2015). One-Parent Students Leave

School Earlier: Educational Attainment Gap Widens. Education Next, 15(2),

36-41.



9 Ibid.

10 Calculated using data from U.S. Census Bureau; American Community

Survey, 2016 5-Year Estimates; Retrieved from American FactFinder.

11 American Psychological Association. What are the Psychological Effects

of Hunger on Children? Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/advocacy/

socioeconomic-status/hunger.pdf.

12 Ibid.



14 Feeding America. (2016). Map the Meal Gap, Food Insecurity in the United

States. Retrieved from https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2017/child/

louisiana/county/madison.

15 Stevens, K. B. (2017). Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow:

The Business Case for High-Quality Childcare: US Chamber of Commerce

Foundation.


Retrieved from American FactFinder

17 Stevens, K. B., op. cit., 4.

18 Data retrieved from http://livingwage.mit.edu/states/22.

19 Ibid.

20 Fitzgerald, K. (2018). Hungry at the Banquet: Food Insecurity in Louisiana

2018. Jesuit Social Research Institute Loyola University New Orleans. Retrieved

from http://www.loyno.edu/jsri/sites/loyno.edu.jsri/files/LA%20Food%20

Insecurity%20Report.pdf.

21 Ibid.

22 Ibid.

23 Ibid.

24 Ibid.

25 Ibid.

26 Ibid.

27 Louisiana Department of Education Early Childhood Education publicly-

funded providers. Retrieved from https://www.louisianabelieves.com/early-

childhood/early-childhood-programs.

28 Early Childhood Care and Education Commission Executive Summary.

Retrieved from https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/

early-childhood/early-childhood-care-and-education-commission-executive-

summary.pdf?sfvrsn=71029e1f_4.

29 U.S. Department of Education; National Center for Education Statistics,

2015-2016.

30 Louisiana Department of Education, Multiple Statistics By School System

For Total Public Students - October 1, 2017.

31 Ibid.

32 Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 28:I, BESE/8(g) Operations §1107 D(a).

33 Louisiana Department of Education, 2018 District Performance Scores and

Letter Grades.

34 Butkus, N., Grieshaber, H. (2018). Investing in Students For a Stronger

Louisiana: Louisiana Budget Project Retrieved from http://www.labudget.org/

wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LBP-K-12-Report.pdf.

35 Ibid.

36 Ibid.

37 Louisiana Department of Education, 2017-2018 Total Expenditures - Per

Pupil.

38 National Education Association, Research Spotlight on Hard-to-Staff

Schools: NEA Reviews of the Research on Best Practices in Education,

Retrieved from: http://www.nea.org/tools/16917.htm; Garcia, E., Weiss, E.

(2019). Low relative pay and high incidence of moonlighting play a role in the

teacher shortage, particularly in high-poverty schools: The third report in ‘The

Perfect Storm in the Teacher Labor Market’ series: Economic Policy Institute.

39 National Education Association, 2016-2017.

40 JSRI analysis done using data from the Louisiana Department of Education.

41 Schanzenbach, D. W. (2014). Does class size matter?: National Education

Policy Center.

42 U.S. Department of Education; National Center for Education Statistics,

2016-2017.

43 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2014). Early Reading Proficiency in the

United States: A KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot. Retrieved from https://www.

aecf.org/resources/early-reading-proficiency-in-the-united-states/#key-

takeaway.

44 JSRI analysis done using data from the Louisiana Department of Education,

Spring 2017 State-LEA LEAP Achievement Level Summary.

45 Ibid.

46 2012-2018 State-LEA-School ACT Summary.

47 Louisiana Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education;

National Center for Education Statistics, 2016-2017.

48 Louisiana Department of Education, 2016-2017 College Enrollment by

Subgroup.

49 Ibid.

50 Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Occupational Employment Projections

to 2022. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2013/article/pdf/

occupational-employment-projections-to-2022.pdf.

51 Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Ridley, N., & Gulish, A. (2018). Three Educational

Pathways to Good Jobs: High School, Middle Skills, and Bachelor’s Degree:

Georgetown University Center of Education and the Workforce.

52 Mitchell, M., Leachman, M., Masterson, K., & Waxman, S. (2018, October 4).

Unkept Promises: State Cuts to Higher Education Threaten Access and Equity:

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. p. 1.

53 Ibid, p. 9; chart developed by JSRI.

54 JSRI analysis done using data from the National Center for Education

Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 2010-

2017. For methodological purposes, “Historically Black Colleges” only included

universities with the official HBCU designation while all other four-year

colleges/universities were categorized as “Predominately White Colleges/

Universities.” Furthermore, for-profit institutions were excluded from the

analysis.

55 Mitchell et al., op. cit., p. 13.

56 Louisiana Budget Project (2018). Louisiana’s Cuts to Higher Education Are

Shortchanging Future Generations. Retrieved from https://www.labudget.

org/2018/10/release-louisianas-cuts-to-higher-education-are-shortchanging-

future-generations/; Mitchell et al., op. cit., p. 13.

57 Carneval, A. P., Ridley, N., & Strohl, J. (2018). Good jobs that pay without a

BA: A state-by-state analysis: Georgetown University Center on Education and

the Workforce.



59 Ibid.

60 Ibid.

61 Ibid.

62 Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013) Occupational Employment Projections

to 2022. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2013/article/pdf/

occupational-employment-projections-to-2022.pdf.

63 Babineau, K., Hand, D., & Rossmeier, V. (2016). The Future of TOPS: Cowen

Institute, Tulane University.

64 Rumberger, R. W., & Losen, D. J. (2016). The High Cost of Harsh Discipline

and Its Disparate Impact.: Civil Rights Project-Proyecto Derechos Civiles.

65 Ibid.


Retrieved from American FactFinder

67 Ibid.

68 Ibid.

69 United States Catholic Bishops. (1979). Brothers and Sisters to Us, 5.

70 Pope Paul VI. (1967). Populorum Progressio, 35:

71 Second Vatican Council. (1965). Gravissimum Educationis, 1.

72 Catholic Church. (1993). Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, 1908.

“Indeed hunger for education is no less debasing than hunger for food: an illiterate is a person with an undernourished mind. To be able to read and write, to acquire a professional formation, means to recover confidence in oneself and to discover that one can progress along with the others.”

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