Cal State Long Beach is one of 52 four-year public schools across the country succeeding at reducing graduation rate differences between underrepresented students and the rest of the school, a report from the Education Trust said this week.

CSULB reduced the gap between white students and black students by 5.7 percentage points, a CSULB release said.

“Closing opportunity gaps is a university-wide priority, so the research by the Education Trust validates the hard work and dedication of our excellent faculty and staff to achieving this goal,” CSULB president Jane Close Conoley said in a written statement. “I am proud of these measurable gains, but it is not time to rest on our laurels. CSULB is committed to eliminating all our students’ opportunity gaps.”

Education Trust — a national nonprofit agency promoting academic achievement for all students, particularly low-income and students of color — released its report, “Rising Tide II: Do Black Students Benefit as Grad Rates Increase?” on Wednesday. It examined 232 institutions with a minimum of 30 first-time, full-time black students and 30 first-time, full-time white students that improved graduation rates from 2003 to 2013.

CSULB statistics show African-American graduation rates are higher than the report, which is based on two-year-old data, the release said. Current numbers show a 24.8 percent increase, with a graduation rate of 63 percent. The increase is higher than rates for students in comparable universities, the release said, and is expected to continue improving.

Some of the strategies employed by CSULB include increasing advisors and technology, as well as using supplemental instruction, learning assistance and tutoring.

The “Men’s Success Initiative” also was launched, aimed at helping African-American and Latino men academically. Additionally, CSULB is trying to increase college-going interest among African-Americans, using programs such as the “Math Collaborative,” and partnering with African-American churches.