By 2030, nearly a quarter of the region’s residents will be foreign born, and 30% will be Non-White. MetroFuture would help Immigrant and minority residents to be full participants in the region’s economy. In particular, educational improvements would especially benefit Blacks and Hispanic demographics with lower educational attainment rates than those of Whites and Asians. With the improvements to public education (described in Goals 29 & 37), 89,000 more Blacks and Hispanics (11% of the total) would have a college degree and opportunities to participate in the region’s economy.

Currently, only 26% of working-age Blacks and Hispanics have a 2- or 4-year college degree, versus 54% for Whites, resulting in a 28 point post-secondary attainment gap. If Current Trends continue, the proportion of working age Blacks and Hispanics would decline to 24%, and the post-secondary attainment gap would grow to 29 points.

Objectives:

• The proportion of working-age Blacks and Hispanics with a 2- or 4-year college degree will increase from 26% to at least 39%.
• The post-secondary attainment gap between Blacks and Hispanics versus Whites will decline by at least 9 points.