PROVIDENCE – A study released Feb. 26 by the Latino Policy Institute highlights challenges Latino students faced while attending Rhode Island College, noting “significant” disparities in graduation rates and retention at the state-run school.
The 29-page report, titled “Latino Pathways to Success,” was done in partnership with RIC – with the state college being the sole focus of the report – and funded via a grant from the office of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. The study began in September 2023 and collected data from focus groups and surveys over the course of 18 months.
Student cohorts dating back to 2012 were analyzed in the report. However, graduation rate data from 2012 through 2016 was the only data made available by RIC for review, according to Latino Policy Institute Executive Director Marcela Betancur.
According to the report, graduation rates for Latino students at RIC fell from 18.3% in 2012 to just 12.8% in 2016. Various factors, such as balancing work, family responsibilities, or a preference for taking longer to complete their degrees, may have contributed to declining graduation rates.
The report notes that retention rates of Latino students at RIC have trended downward for over a decade. As of 2021, only 56.3% of Latino students remained enrolled at the college by their third year. From 2012 through 2014, that retention rate exceeded 60%, according to the report.
The report notes positive trends, such as growing full-time Latino student enrollment from the 2019-20 academic year through the 2022-23 year. RIC’s Latino enrollment in the fall of 2022 was 26.1%, making it the second-largest ethnic group at the state college, according to the report.
The institute included several recommendations in the report calling on policymakers, educators and local leaders to improve education quality and access for Latino students. One recommendation was expanding state and federal financial aid programs to provide more support to Latino students.
Another recommendation was to develop and fund “targeted” programs that address the specific needs of Latino students, including academic advising, mentoring and counseling services. Investing more in career services at Hispanic-serving institutions, such as RIC, to provide students career counseling and job preparedness was also recommended in the report.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
