More Kansans are going to college now than 10 years ago, but the gap between whites and minorities is widening, according to a report to be released today.

Last year, 26 percent of Kansas minorities ages 18 to 24 were enrolled in college, down from 34 percent 10 years ago. At the same time, the overall percentage of young Kansans seeking higher education increased to 37 percent from 36 percent.

“I think that’s an issue,” said Reggie Robinson, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents. “We keep on hearing from the institutions that their minority numbers are going up. Both can be true. The numbers are up, but there’s a growing (minority) population. The system increases aren’t enough to keep up with the population increases.”

The data are part of “Making the Grade,” a biennial study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Kansas’ grades, according to the findings:

• B in preparation, which includes high school education and test scores.
• A in participation, which involves giving residents sufficient opportunity to enroll in higher education.
• F in affordability, relating to proportion of family income taken by college costs.
• B in completion, which rates retention and degree-granting.
• B-plus in benefits, which ranks the benefits the state receives from higher education.

Kansas was one of 36 states that flunked the affordability test. College costs in Kansas, including tuition, fees and other expenses, amount to 23 percent of an average family income, up from 17 percent 10 years ago.

The rapidly increasing cost to attend college, a trend across the nation, comes as high schools are doing a better job preparing students for postsecondary education, said James B. Hunt Jr., chairman of the National Center’s board of directors.

“For most Americans, college has become less affordable over the last decade,” he said. “At a time when we should be encouraging eligible students to attend college, we are making it more difficult for students and their families.”

Robinson said he had mixed thoughts about Kansas being included in the failure category with so many other states.

“On one level it doesn’t help, because so many people view success to how they compare with others,” he said. “But I don’t care if there are 50 F’s, I don’t want one of them.”

Other findings about Kansas:

• The percentage of Kansans age 18 to 24 with a high school diploma or equivalency has fallen to 88 percent from 93 percent in the past 10 years.
• The percentage of minorities with a high school credential fell to 71 percent from 92 percent.
• The percentage of low-income young adults with a high school diploma fell to 81 percent from 89 percent.
• Half of Kansans are enrolling in college by age 19, compared with 46 percent a decade ago.
• 1,232 more students are entering Kansas for college than are leaving for other states.
• Thirty-two percent of Kansans ages 25 to 65 have at least a bachelor’s degree, up from 26 percent 10 years ago.

“Among my peers, this report is one that gets our attention,” Robinson said. “I’ll look at what is in it, and it will guide the policy choices and issues we talk about in the next year.”