Dr. Alexis Takagi Highlights AANHPI Student Inequities in Inside Higher Ed

Publication: Inside Higher Ed
Author: Olivia Sanchez

A new Inside Higher Ed article examining California’s proposed Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)-serving Institution designation features research and insights from Dr. Alexis Takagi, Research Analyst at The Campaign for College Opportunity.

The article explores AB 2374, legislation that would establish a state designation for colleges serving significant numbers of AANHPI students and require participating institutions to develop plans for advancing academic equity and better supporting AANHPI students.

Drawing from the Campaign’s 2026 State of Higher Education for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Californians report, Dr. Takagi underscores why AANHPI students cannot be treated as a monolith. While aggregate data can create the impression that AANHPI students are uniformly thriving in higher education, disaggregated data reveal significant disparities among communities.

As Dr. Takagi explains in the article, 61% of Asian American adults in California hold a bachelor’s degree, compared with 22% of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults and 30% of Cambodian, Hmong, and Laotian adults. She notes that differences in poverty, immigration status, English-language proficiency, and representation in higher education leadership all contribute to unequal experiences and outcomes.

The coverage reinforces a central finding of the Campaign’s research: better data help California see which students are being well served, where inequities persist, and where more intentional support is needed. As state leaders consider how colleges can better serve California’s diverse AANHPI communities, disaggregating data and moving beyond the “model minority” myth are essential to designing policies and practices that respond to students’ actual experiences.