ENGAGE THE FUTURE A LOOK AT THE GROWING DIVERSITY IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MARCH 2020 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Population Growth 4 Competitive Advantage 6 Peer Regions 7 Bentonville 8 Fayetteville 10 Rogers 12 Siloam Springs 14 Springdale 16 Other Districts 18 Resources and 20 Acknowledgments NORTHWEST ARKANSAS A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE REGION Northwest Arkansas looks nothing like it did 30 years ago. Significant economic growth, a low cost of living, thoughtful investments in infrastructure and improvements to the quality of life are contributing to an influx of dynamic, diverse talent across the region. The Northwest Arkansas Council is working to promote an inclusive environment to harness the economic and social impact of that diversity. People of diverse backgrounds enrich communities with innovative ideas and creative solutions to challenges, and their unique experiences strengthen the talent pool of workforce available to our companies. EngageNWA is a Council initiative that works to bring diverse audiences and perspectives together to strengthen the economy and position Northwest Arkansas as a community of engaged global talent. More diverse and inclusive communities perform better economically. Diverse populations bring considerable economic power – contributing billions of dollars annually to the region’s economy. The impact will continue to grow, and we are committed to making Northwest Arkansas an inclusive community that supports all who choose to live here. Nelson Peacock Margot Lemaster President and CEO Executive Director Northwest Arkansas Council EngageNWA POPULATION GROWTH Northwest Arkansas has experienced rapid population growth in the past decade – increasing by more than 20% since 2010. Census estimates show the region’s population experiences a net gain of 30 people per day. The population is expected to grow an additional 10% by 2024. Between 1990 and 2010, the region’s racially and ethnically diverse populations increased from less than 5% in 1990 to nearly 24% in 2010. Since then, the diversity has continued to increase. In 2019, the region was nearly 28% diverse and is expected to grow to almost 31% by 2024. The region’s Hispanic/Latinx population saw the largest gains, accounting for close to 17% of the population in 2019 and forecasted to grow to over 18% by 2024. The school districts in Northwest Arkansas are also experiencing a rapid growth in enrollment. In many cases, the diversity in these school districts is growing at a faster pace than the diversity of the overall population of the region. These numbers demonstrate that school districts in Northwest Arkansas, like those across the nation, are on the frontline of demographic change. Rogers and Springdale, for example, are both now majority students of color. 1990 TOTAL Race/ethnicityOULATON in percentages 239464 for 2019-2020 2010 TOTAL Race/ethnicityOULATON in percentages 463204 for 2019-2020 95.4% WHITE 76.3% WHITE 1.3% HISPANIC/LATINX 14.9% HISPANIC/LATINX 0.6% ASIAN 2.4% ASIAN 0.8% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 1.9% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 0.03% PACIFIC ISLANDER 1.1% PACIFIC ISLANDER 1.5% AMERICAN INDIAN 1.4% AMERICAN INDIAN 0.4% OTHER/TWO OR MORE RACES 2.2% OTHER/TWO OR MORE RACES 2019 TOTAL Race/ethnicityOULATON in percentages 558075 for 2019-2020 2024 TOTAL Race/ethnicityOULATON in percentages 614520 for 2019-2020 72.0% WHITE 69.1% WHITE 16.7% HISPANIC/LATINX 18.3% HISPANIC/LATINX 3.3% ASIAN 4.0% ASIAN 2.4% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 2.6% BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN 1.5% PACIFIC ISLANDER 1.6% PACIFIC ISLANDER 1.4% AMERICAN INDIAN 1.4% AMERICAN INDIAN 2.7% OTHER/TWO OR MORE RACES 3.0% OTHER/TWO OR MORE RACES DIVERSITY | 4 2019 NORTHWEST ARKANSAS OULATON HGHLGHTS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS OULATON NCREASED HAS A NET GAN OF NW ARKANSAS EOLE + ER 20 DA SNCE 2010 30 AN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS SCHOOLS COUNTRES LANGUAGES HAE MORE THAN 90 RERESENTED D 87 SOKEN DERSE OULATONS NCREASED HSANCSLATN N NORTHWEST ARKANSAS N NORTHWEST ARKANSAS RERESENT FROM 5 TO 28 U FROM 13 N 1990 1990 2019 17 ENTONLLES OULATON 42 OUT GREW 42 OF FROM 2009 TO 2019 2 5 ENTONLLES NDAN OULATON LARGEST SCHOOL DSTRCTS N NWA NCREASED 239 ARE MAORT STUDENTS OF COLOR FROM 2011 TO 2018 FAETTELLES DERSE AT 516, OULATONS ACCOUNT FOR NEARL SRNGDALE S THE MOST DERSE CT OF THE CTS N NORTHWEST ARKANSAS 23 OULATON SPRINGDALE SPRINGDALE SPRINGDALE THE SCHOOL DSTRCT SPRINGDALE SCHOOLS SCHOOLS 7 S 34 DERSE 38 48 13 HISPANIC/ PACIFIC PACIFIC HISPANIC/ ISLANDER LATINX LATINX ISLANDER l SILOAM AN STUDENTS HSANC D OF COLOR LATN 23 l 31 56 47 SPRINGS OF CITY POPULATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The United States is experiencing dramatic demographic shifts which is reflected in an increasingly racially diverse workforce. At the same time, the country’s consumer base is more diverse and multicultural than ever before. African American, Asian American and Hispanic/Latinx consumers account for more than 38% of the total population, according to recent data compiled by Nielsen. The U.S. Census Bureau projects people of color will account for the majority of the population by 2044. Engaging this diversity across all levels, sectors, and communities is how the region will secure its place as one of the nation’s best places to live and work. A recent report by consulting firm FSG highlights that employers of frontline talent are leveraging opportunities to advance racial equity as a source of competitive advantage. With expansive buying power and unique consumption habits, customers of color are a growing consumer base, with purchasing power that exceeds $3 trillion annually, according to Nielson. In addition, research shows the value of inclusion and diversity. Businesses led by culturally diverse teams are more likely to develop new products. In a 2018 report by McKinsey & Company, it was demonstrated that gender diverse teams are 21% more likely to outperform their peers. The same is true for ethnically and culturally diverse teams that are 31% more likely to outperform their peers. While Northwest Arkansas is making great strides in prioritizing these opportunities through efforts such as diversifying recruitment pipelines and engaging employees top to bottom in education and training opportunities, more work needs to be done in recognizing and addressing attitudes, behaviors and policies that impede progress. “Advancing racial equity is not as simple as launching a single training or changing a single practice, nor it is a single person’s role — it requires intentionally shifting cultures, behaviors, practices, and policies in ways that contribute to greater equity. It is a new way of doing business.” - Advancing Frontline Employees of Color Innovating for Competitive Advantage in America’s Frontline Workforce DIVERSITY | 6 PEER REGIONS The Northwest Arkansas Council identified a select group of high-performing peer regions that were used as benchmarks to create the Greater Northwest Arkansas Development Strategy. Given the importance of diversity and inclusion to local economies, diversity growth is included from the following regions: Austin-Round Rock, Texas; Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa; Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C.; Madison, Wis.; Provo-Orem, Utah; and Raleigh, N.C. AUSTNROUND ROCK T MADSON W 2019 TOTAL OULATON 2231469 2019 TOTAL OULATON 673045 REETIITY 2024 REETIITY 2024 2010 2019 RETI 2010 2019 RETI Wite 54.7% 49.3% 46.4% Wite 84.4% 81.2% 79.0% HisanicLatin 31.4% 34.3% 36.1% HisanicLatin 5.2% 6.1% 6.8% Asian 4.7% 6.4% 7.1% Asian 3.9% 5.4% 6.4% lacArican Aerican 7.0% 7.3% 7.5% lacArican Aerican 4.2% 4.5% 4.7% Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% Pacific Islander 0.03% 0.03% 0.03% American Indian 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% American Indian 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% OterTo or More Races 1.9% 2.4% 2.6% OterTo or More Races 1.9% 2.4% 2.7% DES MONES A ROOOREM UT 2019 TOTAL OULATON 680233 2019 TOTAL OULATON 659955 REETIITY 2024 REETIITY 2024 2010 2019 RETI 2010 2019 RETI Wite 83.6% 79.3% 76.7% Wite 84.4% 82.1% 80.2% HisanicLatin 6.7% 7.9% 8.8% HisanicLatin 10.7% 11.8% 13.1% Asian 3.0% 4.5% 5.5% Asian 1.3% 1.7% 1.9% lacArican Aerican 4.7% 5.7% 6.3% lacArican Aerican 0.5% 0.6% 0.7% Pacific Islander 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% Pacific Islander 0.7% 0.8% 0.9% American Indian 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% American Indian 0.5% 0.5% 0.5% OterTo or More Races 1.8% 2.3% 2.6% OterTo or More Races 2.0% 2.6% 2.7% DURHAMCHAEL HLL NC RALEGH NC 2019 TOTAL OULATON 584696 2019 TOTAL OULATON 1388381 REETIITY 2024 REETIITY 2024 2010 2019 RETI 2010 2019 RETI Wite 55.3% 54.2% 53.1% Wite 63.4% 60.6% 58.0% HisanicLatin 11.3% 11.7% 12.5% HisanicLatin 10.1% 10.9% 11.9% Asian 4.4% 5.3% 6.0% Asian 4.4% 6.3% 7.7% lacArican Aerican 26.7% 26.1% 25.5% lacArican Aerican 19.8% 19.4% 19.4% Pacific Islander 0.04% 0.04% 0.04% Pacific Islander 0.03% 0.1% 0.1% American Indian 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% American Indian 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% OterTo or More Races 2.0% 2.4% 2.6% OterTo or More Races 1.9% 2.4% 2.7% BENTONVILLE CITY POPULATION 2019 TOTAL POPULATION 50,061 While Bentonville is the fourth largest Northwest Arkansas city, its RACEETHNCT N 2010 2019 2024 growth rate is the most impressive. From 2010 to 2019, Bentonville’s population grew by nearly 42%.