The Millennials -- young people ages 18 to 29 -- mark a new generation of views

WASHINGTON -- Black and Hispanic youth have in the past favored a greater federal role in public education than their white counterparts.

But a new study shows Millennial generation whites – ages 18 to 29 – are bucking this trend, and in turn distancing themselves from the views of older-generations.

“Even though this Millennial generation is the most racially and ethnically diverse, they are more united in their views,” said study co-author Amanda Logan, an economist from the Washington-based Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank. “And those views are more progressive.”

The study’s researchers, who analyzed PEW data from 2004 and the National Election Survey from 2007, found youth across the board want to see a boost in the education dollars spent by the federal government.

Between1988 and 2004, an average of 88 percent of black youth supported increased federal education spending, compared to 83 percent of young Hispanics and 78 percent of young whites.

In contrast, the most current data shows that Millennial whites approached blacks and surpassed their Hispanic peers in their support of increased spending by the federal government on education. Young blacks favored more federal money for education by 92 percent, in comparison with 81 percent of Hispanics and 86 percent of whites.

While young minorities, especially blacks, tend to hold similar education views as their elders, white Millennials are going in the opposite direction. In 2004, 86 percent of white Millennials supported higher education spending, but only 67 percent of whites ages 30 and older shared this view, according to the research.

“Young whites are increasingly rejecting the more conservative views of their parents and demanding change, and I think that’s significant,” said study co-author David Madland of the Center for American Progress. “This is an opportunity for a great generational shift.”

The “common economic struggle” of black, white and Hispanic youth has created cohesion among their views on education, according to the authors.

“This is the generation that’s been faced with skyrocketing college [education costs],” Logan said. “Student loans weigh heavily on students’ minds.”

As young people increasingly realize they can’t bear all the debt of attending college, Madland said, they’re calling on the federal government to play a larger role in education.

Peter Levine, director of the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), a non-partisan research center, pointed out that funding is only one of many education concerns held by young people. They are also worried about curriculum quality, and other issues such as testing practices, he said.

Regardless of their specific education concerns, experts agreed that the Millennial generation, which boasts 80 million to 95 million voters, is more politically engaged than some previous generations.

“Due to their embrace – across race and ethnicity – of decidedly progressive positions …,” the study authors wrote, “this generation could well be poised to transform the American political landscape in 2008 and beyond.”