State-Level Adverse Impact in Six-Year College Graduation Rates: Black Students 2002-2018

Using U.S. Department of Education 6-year college graduation rate data for 17 cohorts (1996-2002) to (2012-2018), adverse impact on Black students as compared to White students was evaluated for all 50 states and D.C. Potential relationships between state adverse impact and Black population percentage, geographic location, and political affiliation were also examined. Major results included: (1) documentation of widespread adverse impact against Black students throughout the U.S.; (2) a tendency for states with higher percentages of Black residents to have higher levels of adverse impact; (3) documentation of lower levels of adverse impact for states located in the Northeast than those in the West, South, and Midwest; and (4) documentation of lower adverse impact levels in Blue states as compared to Purple and Red States.