In 2005, more than one-fifth (22.4 percent) of Hispanics 16 through 24 years of age were dropouts, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This means they were not enrolled in school, and had not graduated from high school or passed General Educational Development (GED) tests. These dropout numbers do not accurately measure the performance of U.S. schools in educating Hispanic students because they include immigrants educated abroad. However, even after adjusting for the portion of Hispanic dropouts who never attended U.S. schools, the dropout rate for Hispanic students is higher than for other major ethnic groups in America.
Fortunately, there is a proven way to increase the success rate for Hispanic students: school choice.
School choice would greatly increase opportunities for Hispanics to excel by requiring public schools to compete for students. Charter schools, for example, are publicly funded schools that are free of many of the regulations imposed on traditional public schools. Charter schools characteristically serve a disproportionate number of minority students who have had limited academic success in public schools. Unlike most public schools, charter schools do not have a local residency requirement. According to the Center for Education Reform, students attending charter schools are beginning to perform better academically than their peers in the public school system:
Hispanic students have a greater chance of being proficient in math and reading if they attend a charter school.
Students’ test scores at charter schools are “rising sharply” and beginning to outperform underprivileged students in public schools.
In order to inform yourself about charter schools in your area check the following websites:
Some 700 Latinos from across the state will converge in Olympia on February 6 to lobby lawmakers to extend government financial aid to undocumented college students.
The Latino/a Education Achievement Project, a Des Moines-based advocacy group, is spearheading the effort. The group held its annual conference Wednesday and Thursday at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma.
House Bill 1706 would make undocumented students who are attending college eligible for the state need grant program. In 2007-08, the program awarded $182 million to about 72,000 students.
In 2003, lawmakers passed a bill that made undocumented students eligible for in-state tuition rates if they live in Washington for three years, attend their senior year at a state high school and remain residents after they get their diploma.
Ricardo Sanchez is chairman of the LEAP group’s board of directors and advocated for undocumented students to get in-state tuition. That law was “a huge first step,” but thousands of capable students still don’t attend college because their families can’t afford it, he said.
“Most of the students (who fall under the law), they’re going to be, at least in the Latino community, 95 to 100 percent low-income,” he said this week at the Tacoma conference. “Without state or federal financial aid, going to college is almost out of bounds.”
The financial aid bill may face an uphill battle in Olympia. It’s being proposed at a time when colleges and universities are looking for ways to cut costs and gain revenue. Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget calls for a 12 percent to 13 percent cut at every four-year university, as well as a 7 percent tuition increase.
Rep. Jan Angel, a Port Orchard Republican and member of the House Committee on Higher Education, questions the fairness of the bill at a time when hundreds of citizens may be shut out of college. “If it is state grant money, my belief is it should go to state residents,” Angel said.
The bill could get bogged down in the undercurrent of immigrant politics. Opponents of illegal immigration argue that no benefits should be extended to a person who came to the U.S. illegally.
Sanchez contends that policymakers must be practical about whether they want talented people to give back to society, regardless of family status.
“Most of the kids who are headed to college, they came here with their families when they were 2 or 3 years of age. Their parents came here to work. They’ve grown up in our system,” he said. “Now that they’ve proven themselves academically, what sense does it make to waste all of that?”
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), the nation’s leading Latino scholarship organization supporting
Hispanic higher education, will receive $352,500 over the next three years from FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX). This funding from FedEx will provide scholarships for deserving students and support for four community
education programs in local markets.
FedEx recently completed a previous three-year, $332,500 commitment that provided 15 four-year scholarships to deserving students. This renewal will fund five, four-year scholarships for each of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 academic years. This funding will impact HSF’s ability to continue the
current level of support to Latino students and help HSF work toward its mission of doubling the rate of Hispanics earning college degrees, to 18 percent.
IRVING, TX: The Boy Scouts of America are increasing overall outreach efforts to prepare for their 100th Anniversary in February 2010, including a new focus on the Hispanic community.
“Overall, Boy Scouts is engaged now in reintroducing Scouting to America,” said Stephen Medlicott, national director of the marketing group at the Boy Scouts. “The Hispanic initiative is a segment of that. We need to do a better job of focusing our message and bringing clarity and consistency to what people think about the Boy Scouts.”
The Hispanic part of the program is currently focusing on six pilot areas – New York; Chicago; Orlando, FL; Fresno and San Jose, CA; and South Texas – and will expand nationwide in the third quarter of 2009. The Boy Scouts hired Hispanic Communications Network (HCN) as its Hispanic AOR for the campaign, and the firm began research and strategy planning 18 months ago.
“It includes everything from attracting, retaining, and promoting [Latino] executives within [Boy Scouts'] staff, to increasing the membership ranks of Latino youth, to getting more Latino parents involved,” said Carlos Alcazar, CEO of HCN. The Boy Scouts also plan to partner with Latino advocacy and service groups. Read more….
There are many criteria to consider when looking for the best colleges, including factors like Hispanic enrollment and support for Hispanic students. Here are some tips on what to look for. Students who need extra support should consider small colleges that provide a strong community and smaller lecture rooms and classrooms. Hispanic families can seek private colleges and small colleges by visiting the Center for Student Opportunity. Parents and students alike can search small and private colleges, their programs and scholarships programs. Students and their families are encouraged to decide what learning environment, resources, and fields of study are best for them. The more you learn about your options, resources and opportunities, the better your choice will be for you.
Loading ...
