The increasing reliance on online courses at California’s
community colleges is contributing to the grade gap between
Latino and white students, according to a recent study that
examined millions of student records. The study, conducted by
Raymond Kaupp, director of workforce development in Cabrillo
College near Santa Cruz, found that while Latino students lag
behind white students in the grades they get in regular courses,
the gap is far wider in online courses. Kaupp’s findings cast a
shadow over the impact of online courses, which have become a
standard feature of campus offerings and are growing in
popularity at California’s 112 community colleges. (See this
website on “California’s Virtual Campus” for online courses
offered at community colleges and CSU and UC campuses.) The
performance of Latinos on online courses is especially
worrisome. Almost two-thirds of college-bound Latino high school
graduates start their college education at a community college.
Because many of them work and have families, they