progress is progress

Texas ranks as 2nd best state for racial progress in 2024, study finds

The annual report is released in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Photo courtesy MLK Center

As Martin Luther King, Jr. Day approaches, personal finance website WalletHub is revisiting its annual report "States with the Most Racial Progress." Texas comes out near the top for 2024, but has room for improvement in several areas.

The report measures the gaps between Black and white residents across 22 key indicators of equality in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the rankings. States are scored in four major categories: employment and wealth, education, social and civic engagement, and health. For the purpose of the study, "adults" include people aged 25 and older.

Texas ranks No. 2 overall in racial progress, placing just behind Georgia (No. 1). But in the study's separate ranking of states with the most racial integration, Texas lands farther down the list, at No. 8.

The racial progress report highlights the Lone Star State's efforts to reduce health insurance coverage gaps between white and Black residents – stating that the divide has reduced more than 13 percent within the last three decades. Improving higher education is another major milestone for the state, the study says.

"Texas has made some of the best progress in the nation when it comes to the share of [B]lack vs. white residents who have at least a bachelor’s degree," the report's author writes. "In fact, it’s one of the only states where the gap has decreased rather than increasing since 1970."

Texas earns top-five rankings in the the categories of education (No. 4) and health (No. 4), and ranked No. 6 in the study's social and civic engagement category. The state falls slightly behind in the employment and wealth category, ranking No. 13 overall.

Texas scores high in the following measures:

No. 7 – Change in median annual household income gap
No. 10 – Change in poverty rate gap
No. 8– Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a high school diploma
No. 4 – Change in gap in the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor's degree
No. 11 – Change in standardized test scores gap
No. 10 – Change in voter turnout gap during the 2020 presidential election

According to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center, 44 percent of Americans say they feel pessimistic about the nation's "ability to ensure racial equality for all people" in the future, regardless of race or ethnicity. That's compared to 28 percent who feel optimistic.

"Although our country has made a lot racial progress since the Civil Rights Movement, we still need to do better to ensure equality for everyone," the report says. "As we think about ways to improve equality in the future, though, we can also recognize the steps toward racial harmony we’ve already achieved — in our workplaces, in our schools and in our voting booths."

Following behind Texas to round out the top 10 states with the most racial progress in 2024 are Mississippi (No. 3), New Mexico (No. 4), Wyoming (No. 5), Connecticut (No. 6), New Jersey (No. 7), Maryland (No. 8), Florida (No. 9), and North Carolina (No. 10).

The report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

texas wallethub reports

DART developments

DART launches 90-day security initiative at key Dallas rail stations

DART

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is stepping up security and fare enforcement at several light rail stations as part of a new 90-day initiative launching Monday, November 16. Called Operation Access, the program will bring a more visible uniformed presence to key stations across the network, the agency says.

Riders will see DART police officers, fare enforcement officers, and transit security officers at designated locations, according to a press release.

As part of the initiative, all riders boarding at Pearl/Arts District Station and West End Station will pass through barriers and undergo mandatory fare validation before boarding. Those stations may experience brief delays during peak travel periods, although DART expects any additional wait times to be minimal, they say.

In addition to the two downtown stations, uniformed enforcement teams will be stationed at Bachman, Forest Lane, LBJ/Skillman, MLK Jr., and 8th & Corinth stations.

According to DART, the seven stations serve as important entry and exit points for passengers traveling to and from downtown. Placing officers and security personnel at those locations will create a more consistent presence along key rail corridors while supporting fare compliance and the agency's code of conduct.

The initiative is intended to improve safety and fare compliance while helping DART better understand how passengers move through the system as it evaluates the possibility of expanding fare-gated access across the light rail network.

"At its core, Operation Access is about creating the transit experience our riders deserve," says DART Chief of Police Charles Cato in the release. "When customers see a consistent security presence, know that fares are being checked, and feel confident that everyone is following the same rules, it creates a safer and more comfortable environment for everyone."

Cato says the first phase will allow DART to provide those benefits immediately while gathering information to help plan for the future.

DART President and CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. also describes Operation Access as an important step in modernizing fare enforcement.

"Operation Access allows us to take meaningful action today while planning responsibly for tomorrow," Ford says. "We're making the system safer and improving fare compliance right now, and at the same time we're collecting critical data that will help shape the next generation of rail security and customer experience at DART."

dart downtown dallas operation access public transit transportation

progress is progress

Texas ranks as 2nd best state for racial progress in 2024, study finds

DART developments

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