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