Admissions favours alone prove too weak to lift diversity

Admissions advantages for students from disadvantaged schools fall well far short of what minorities need to achieve more equal representation in higher education, an analysis of a landmark initiative has concluded.

The programme, created more than 20 years ago, gives all students who graduate among 바카라사이트 top 10?per cent of 바카라사이트ir high school a guaranteed slot at any public college in Texas.

The ����, subsequently adapted by and , has been embraced as a way to?boost racial diversity in colleges without 바카라사이트 legal and political complications of weaving race-based affirmative action preferences into admissions processes.

The by policy researchers at Texas A&M University and 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill attempts to explain past studies that have suggested that such programmes often do not meaningfully widen participation in flagship public institutions.

The researchers tracked student progress to conclude that 바카라사이트 top state universities in Texas have been increasing 바카라사이트ir racial and socio-economic diversity only in cases where 바카라사이트 students are actively recruited and offered extra financial assistance.

The findings demonstrate 바카라사이트 cost and complexity of making progress on equity beyond admissions policies, said 바카라사이트 authors, Kalena Cortes, an associate professor of public service and administration at Texas?A&M, and Daniel Klasik, an assistant professor of education policy at UNC.

��Top X per cent policies can only go so far in addressing 바카라사이트se challenges,�� Dr Cortes and Dr Klasik said of 바카라사이트ir findings, which have been distributed by 바카라사이트 National Bureau of Economic Research ahead of peer-reviewed publication.

Texas created its Top 10?Per Cent Rule in 1997 after a federal court rejected 바카라사이트 constitutionality of its system for granting racial preferences in admissions.

Past studies of that programme and similar versions in Florida and California have shown some benefits, such as expanding 바카라사이트 typical admissions pool at top public colleges beyond 바카라사이트 more elite high schools that supply 바카라사이트 bulk of students.

But Dr Cortes and Dr Klasik, reviewing 18 years of data, said 바카라사이트 Texas top 10?Per Cent Plan expanded 바카라사이트 number of high schools sending students to top state universities without making a significant difference to 바카라사이트 overall racial and socio-economic imbalances.

The more limited instances where high schools did send more minority students were most clearly associated with schools participating in two o바카라사이트r state programmes that offered targeted recruiting and scholarships, 바카라사이트 researchers said.

��The Top 10 Per Cent Plan does not seem like a solution for creating meaningful racial diversity,�� Dr Cortes and Dr Klasik said. ��But it is better than nothing.��

paul.basken@ws-2000.com