The face of American education from K-12 to higher education is quickly experiencing changes set by the fast-paced growth among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) — a population that is expected to reach nearly 40 million by 2050.
The National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education (CARE), in partnership with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, has released findings from its forthcoming research report, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, The College Completion Agenda, and America’s Commitment to Equity and Diversity.”
Findings from the report include the following:
— The AAPI population increased at a faster rate than any other major racial group in America between 2000 and 2010. Population projections are showing that this trend will continue over the next two decades, and college enrollment of AAPIs is projected to increase by 30 percent between 2010 and 2019.
— AAPIs vary widely in college participation and degree attainment. Among Southeast Asians and Pacific Islanders, 55 to 66 percent of adults have not participated in any form of post-secondary education, according to ACS data. While more than four in five East Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) and South Asians (Asian Indian and Pakistani) who enter college earn at least a bachelor’s degree, large proportions of Southeast Asians (43 percent) and Pacific Islanders (51 percent) report having attended college but not earning a degree.
— Increased investment is needed for institutions that serve large concentrations of AAPIs. With two-thirds of AAPI college enrollment in 300 post-secondary institutions, and 47.3 percent of their enrollment in community colleges, it is important to invest in institutions that are responding to the unique needs of the population. In 2009, the first 15 Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) enrolled nearly 89,000 AAPI students — equal to 1 in 10 AAPI undergraduates — and conferred nearly 10,000 associate and bachelor degrees to AAPI students. ♦
For more information, visit www.nyu.edu/projects/care or www.apiasf.org.