PATRICIA GÁNDARAUCLA
Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles
PERCENT 25-29 YEAR OLDS WITH BA+
ETHNICITY
1975 1985 1995 2005 2010
WHITE 24 24 29 34 37
ASIAN N/A N/A N/A 60 58
BLACK 11 12 15 18 20
LATINO 9 11 9 11 13
25-29 Year Olds With BA+
3 Explanations for the Gaps
•Immigration: If we just stop immigration at the border, it will solve the educational problems•Language: If we just teach Latino students English quickly, they will catch up•Time: If we just wait it out, Latinos, like all other immigrant groups will move up the ladder of opportunity
Why Does This Matter?
53% of California students are Latino 51% of Texas students are Latino In ten states the Latino population has grown
between 200% and 400% in the last decade Latinos are 20% of all students in the US, and Before 2025, Latinos will be one in every 4
students in the US The future of the NATION is linked to how well
Latinos are educated!
Context for Latino Students
35% of Latino youth live in poverty 75+% are eligible for free/reduced lunch 1/3 families lack health insurance; 2/3 in
Texas 60% of Latinos in the urban West attend
schools that are 90%- 100% minority Highest residential mobility; unstable
parental employment Low wealth – wealth is in housing, lost 88% School performance is related to parent
education and 40% of Latino parents have not completed high school
California’s Schools
1 Counselor for approx 900 students
1 psychologist for approx 1400 students
1 nurse for over 2700 students 1 librarian for over 9,000 students 1 social worker for over 15,000
students
The Growing Gap: Percent K-12 Students with Parents with BA +,
1979-2006
Source: NCES, 2008.
BY HIGH SCHOOL
Up to 50% of Latino males in urban areas have dropped out of school
Latinos in general are performing several years behind their white peers
Only 36% complete A-G (49% White;69% Asian)
Most Latino survivors will “go on to college” but few will complete
Latinos attend less selective colleges than they qualify for
What if we don’t solve this SOON? 1 Million jobs for college educated individuals in
California go unfilled by Californians by 2025, While Latinos compete for jobs at the bottom California’s per capita income DECLINES by
11% between 2000 and 2020 (Per capita income GREW by 30% between
1980 and 2000) Gaps in income, wealth, and education between
Latinos and others continue to grow Social fabric frays
Six Things We Can Do: Sí Podemos Build on students’ assets Create magnets, especially dual
immersion schools to break down isolation
Train & recruit Latino & bilingual teachers
Focus on wraparound services Strengthen outreach Parent education
Build on students’ assets
Strong social skills “Border crossing” skills
(biculturalism) Bilingualism Immigrant optimism
Dual immersion schools
Exploding demand Come closest to closing achvm’t
gaps Nurture important skills in the labor
market Better prepare students for the world
they live in– break down isolation
Latino/Bilingual Teachers
Having a Latino teacher predicts college going
Bilingual teachers are to building dual immersion schools
Both model an important role in global society Bilingual use more research based strategies
than monolingual teachers Bilingual see parent contact as THEIR
responsibility & able to evaluate the learning of ELs regardless of program type
Wraparound Services
It is NOT deficit thinking to understand that poverty ravages hopes & dreams
Latino parents have very high aspirations
But poverty undermines them Some organizations trying to do this:
e.g., Communities in Schools, HCZ Healthy Start a good model in CA We must reinvest in this infrastructure
Strengthen Outreach/College Access Programs These programs have big limitations
but they are an arrow in the quiver Channel students to rigorous
curriculum Supplement counseling, esp at high
school and community colleges Provide critical information Summer bridge and First Year
Experience can have powerful effects
Parent Information
“Sticker Shock” remains a major problem for parents
Also need information on how to prepare their children for graduation & college
Need to know how to monitor schooling
Need to know how to advocate Programs such as PIQE work
www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu