Minorities lagging in college graduation

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- College graduation figures for young Hispanic and African-American adults have fallen compared to their older peers, a U.S. report says.

The Minorities in Higher Education report says graduation rates have dropped for the 25 to 34 age group, and remained flat for other minority adults, indicating today's young adults are no better educated than the baby boom generation, an American Council on Education release said.

The report summarizes trends in high school completion, college enrollment and graduation among racial/ethnic and gender groups.

Among all racial/ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanics -- the fastest growing population -- continue to exhibit the lowest educational attainment levels, the report said.

Some of the obstacles facing Hispanics include lack of English fluency, interrupted schooling prior to immigration, immigration at an older age, and for some, lack of legal status, the report said.

"Our nation stands at the intersection of bold new goals for educational attainment on one hand, and a pattern of low educational attainment for Hispanic students on the other," ACE President Molly Corbett Broad said.

"For the future of these students and of our nation, we must take this opportunity to act. The costs of leaving behind generations of the fastest growing population in this country are too great."