Introduction

Introduction

Black males in Tennessee face a staggering education attainment gap. Compared to

their counterparts, Black males are less likely to enroll in postsecondary education, less

likely to continue in their studies, and less likely to graduate. The result is that in

Tennessee, six-year graduation rates for Black male students are at least 20 percentage

points below graduation rates of other students every year. Addressing these gaps is

critical. Postsecondary attainment rates across the state must improve for Black men.

Completing a postsecondary credential is essential to meeting state labor and

workforce demands while also increasing individual students’ social mobility and family

prosperity. The master plan for postsecondary education in Tennessee points out the

profound impact of a college degree for both students and the state and references the

task of increasing Tennessee’s postsecondary attainment rate1 as a moral duty (THEC,

2020). Furthermore, higher education has an obligation to ensure attainment gaps are

eliminated and that every student – particularly those who have been historically

marginalized and underserved – has access to, support in, and efficiently completes

postsecondary credentials.

In order to address these concerns, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission

(THEC) established the Black Male Success Initiative (BMSI) in 2021 to develop a more

comprehensive understanding of attainment gaps faced by Black male students, barriers to

1 Postsecondary attainment rate includes all students who complete postsecondary programs, including certificate, certifications, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, graduate degrees, and professional degrees.