A report on racial and ethnic minorities in higher education in the state of Texas highlights implications of the changing demography of the Southwestern United States for educational planning. Graphs and tables, discussion, and an overall summary present information derived from the 1980 Census of Population and the Higher Education General Information Survey. The report finds that the greatest population growth in the next 20 years in Texas will take place among minority populations whose rates of postsecondary educational attainment and socioeconomic status have been low historically. Specific findings include: people of Spanish origin accounted for 21% of Texas population in 1980 and for more than 30% of the 0-4 age group; Texas has the third largest Black, fifth largest Asian, and ninth largest American Indian populations in the United States; Hispanics have higher high school dropout rates than Blacks or Whites; Texas high school graduation rates show 72% of Blacks and 55% of Hispanics completing high school; Spanish-origin and Black families have low family incomes and national data show smaller percentages of students from low-income families enrolling in postsecondary education; present enrollment and earned degree patterns show considerable underrepresentation for Hispanics and Blacks at all levels of postsecondary education. (LFL)