Postsecondary education is a cornerstone of economic mobility and is crucial to helping American businesses compete in a global economy. So, it’s no surprise that after being confirmed, the Secretary of Education asserted that “postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs.”
This goal isn’t new: for decades, Republicans and Democrats alike have set policies to increase the economic return on postsecondary education for students, employers, and taxpayers. But the Trump Administration’s attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion in education will make this goal much harder to achieve. For postsecondary education to produce the best possible results and give students a fair shot at real opportunity, college needs to work for everyone. This makes equity a required feature of our postsecondary education system, not a bug.
As members of Congress, state policymakers, and higher education institutions navigate the Trump Administration’s executive orders and guidance, they must continue to design postsecondary policies to produce fair outcomes. The future of the nation’s workforce, businesses, and economy depends on it.
Community and technical colleges are on the frontlines of preparing the workforce of today and tomorrow. In fact, community college students account for about two in five of all U.S. undergraduates. Community college students are incredibly diverse: 58% are people of color, 57% are women, 32% are first in their families to attend college, and 23% are students with disabilities.
This diversity is a major benefit to learning environments. Diverse classrooms have been shown to improve critical thinking and problem solving, increase satisfaction and motivation, and foster creativity and collaboration. These skills matter in today’s economy. It’s no wonder that three in four Americans think that all students benefit when colleges and universities reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the United States.
Yet for generations, postsecondary education did not include or extend equal opportunity to the groups of people who make up most of today’s students. For example:
Policies like these (and many others) have undermined meritocracy in education and the workforce. Indeed, today’s racial disparities in postsecondary education are the result of public policies that opened the door to a few by closing it shut on many others. If our nation is ever to fully realize the potential of postsecondary education as a path to prosperity, public policies must remedy our nation’s past and support the diverse needs of today’s students.
That’s where equity comes into play. Everyone has a right to real opportunity and success. Equity makes merit possible by leveling the playing field so that people who have been disadvantaged have a fair shot at opportunity and success. In this regard, equity is key to ensuring that postsecondary education leads to a well-paying career for millions of students, especially those at community colleges.
Instead of spending precious public resources shuttering diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, policymakers should invest in policies that deliver a better and fairer economic future for today’s students. These include policies that make postsecondary education more affordable, support students holistically, strengthen industry-community college partnerships and career pathways, and use data to ensure better and fairer outcomes.
Such policies can reduce unfair barriers disproportionately faced by students of color, those with low incomes, and adult learners, while achieving better outcomes for everyone. For example, stronger tuition assistance programs would have an outsized impact on Black adults who have the highest rates of student loan debt due in part to longstanding racial wealth and income gaps. But they would also benefit working people of all backgrounds who need college to be more affordable.
Equitable postsecondary education policies don’t just benefit students; they are also crucial for ensuring that businesses can grow. At a time when key industries – from construction to health care – are facing workforce shortages, our nation’s businesses can’t afford to leave talent on the table.
The vast majority of jobs in today’s economy require some form of postsecondary education or training, including a majority of jobs (52%) that require education and training beyond high school but not a four-year degree. Systemic barriers that limit access to skills training and credentials for people of color, women, and first-generation students make it harder for businesses to fill in-demand roles and hold the economy back.
By contrast, the rich diversity of our nation’s students and workers is a unique strength that can fuel American innovation and propel our economy. Research shows that diverse workplaces lead to higher financial returns for employers, including increased sales revenue, customers, and profitability. Indeed, the growing diversity of the American workforce was a major contributor to U.S. economic growth in the latter half of the 20th century – more than 25% of the country’s growth in productivity between 1960 and 2008 was associated with reducing occupational barriers for Black people and women. Indeed, the growing diversity of the American workforce was a major contributor to U.S. economic growth in the latter half of the 20th century – more than 25% of the country’s growth in productivity between 1960 and 2008 was associated with reducing occupational barriers for Black people and women.
In a diverse nation that aims to uphold justice for all, equity is both an economic and moral imperative. Members of Congress and state policymakers of all political parties should support efforts to equalize opportunity in postsecondary education so that everyone has what they need to succeed. They can start by ensuring that postsecondary education leads to good jobs not just for a select few but for people of every background.
