Roundup: News You Need to Know, Tues., Jan. 9th

Low Rate of Latino College Attainment Threatens Californias Economy

The fast-growing Latino population in California is not entering and completing college at the same rate as white and other minority students. In California, 43 percent of Latino high school graduates enroll directly in college, compared to 47 percent of white, 49 percent of black, and more than 70 percent of Asian students. Some researchers believe that a lack of information on financial aid is a main contributor. In 2004, a University of Southern California study found that 75 percent of young Latinos who either did not enter college or dropped out said that better information on scholarships, grants, and loans would have increased their likelihood of completing college.

New Evaluation of Best Values in Public Colleges

Kiplinger has rated the top 100 best values in public colleges by assessing data on cost, financial aid, and academic quality. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) tops the list, followed by the University of Florida, the College of William and Mary, the University of Virginia, and Binghamton University, a State University of New York. UNC was the only school surveyed that met 100 percent of student financial need. In addition, UNCs Carolina Covenant allows students with families earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level to graduate from college debt-free. The State University of New York at Geneseo, a small public college that focuses on undergraduates, made the biggest jump from 32nd place to 7th place on the list.

ED Challenges the American Bar Associations Diversity Standard

The general counsel of the U.S. Department of Education is appealing the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integritys (NACIQI) decision to allow a diversity standard set by the American Bar Association (ABA) be considered for law school accreditation. As of last August, the ABA now requires law schools to take "concrete action" to achieve a diverse student body, faculty, and staff. After hearings on the diversity standard, NACIQI went ahead and approved ABA as an accrediting body without recommending any changes policy. The Department of Education is concerned that the standard would require law schools in the four states that have banned affirmative action to violate state law.