This paper first explores the problem of increased cultural diversity in public education and then offers suggestions and guidelines for educators in the creation of an anti-biased classroom and curriculum. Case studies of two Hispanic students illustrate the role of acculturation and the middle school classroom setting and curriculum on academic…

This newsletter includes five articles on gender equity and related issues in education, with particular reference to the education of Hispanic girls. "IDRA's MIJA Program Expands" (Aurora Yanez-Perez) describes a program for sixth-grade Hispanic girls that promotes awareness of science- and math-related careers, provides training in…

This report focuses on Hispanic American culture in the schools of the lower Rio Bravo Valley (Texas) through impressions and descriptions of the interrelationship of school and community. School culture is defined as reflecting the shared characteristics and uniqueness of the community cultures around the school. The school cultures of the Valley…

A study was conducted to determine demographic characteristics, motivation, and program satisfaction of General Educational Development (GED) candidates and adult education (including adult basic education, secondary adult education, and English as a second language) students in Texas. Between June and December 1985, about 6,000 adult education…

Because of the higher-than-average risk of hypertension, obesity, and diabetes among Hispanics, researchers selected these three health problems as the focus of a "radio novela" intended to increase the health knowledge and awareness of a Hispanic target audience and to stimulate their response to the problems. The replicable health…

To ascertain enrollment/access, retention/attrition and completion/achievement rates for Hispanic and non-Hispanic male and female students enrolled in institutions of higher education, previously-collected data available at national, state and institutional levels were compared. Data from two universities and two community colleges in each of two…

A major portion of Texas' State Compensatory Education (SCE) evaluation resources for 1979-80 was devoted to activities related to the statewide assessment of fifth and ninth graders' skills in reading, mathematics, and writing (the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills Project). For purposes of this report, evaluation activity and information is…

The author, a teacher at an Indiana middle school, describes how her Mexican ESL students took a stand and helped make a statement against racism. These students, who had a fascination with Asian culture, were indignant when they read an article about a street in Texas called "Jap Road." Adamant that the road name should be changed, the…

On July 22, 1980, in U.S. Federal District Court in Texas, Judge Woodrow Seals declared unconstitutional Section 21.031 of the Texas Education Code which restricted children of undocumented immigrants from attending Texas public schools. The decision's effect is to affirm the Constitutional right to an education regardless of immigration status.…

Addresses the political and policy environment that has shaped the educational agenda for rising U.S. state accountability systems, highlighting these policies' effects on the limited-English-proficient learner. The hope for language-minority students lies in pressures on school officials to narrow the white/minority achievement gap. (Contains 64…

This article provides school council members in Texas public schools engaged in site-based decision-making (SBDM) with information about creating successful preschool programs for language minority children (LMC). It is intended to help the councils make decisions as to how they can: (1) ensure that language minority children have access equal to…

Telephone interviews with Chicanas--30 graduates and 20 dropouts from Title VII Bilingual Education Doctoral Fellowship Programs in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas are reported. The study sought information on how the Chicanas' perceptions of racism, sexism, economics, family responsibilities, support networks, role models,…

This study analyzed a public school prekindergarten Montessori bilingual program, investigating second grade reading achievement scores on Spanish and English norm-referenced tests and comparing students who had participated in the Montessori program with those who had participated in a prekindergarten traditional bilingual program. Participants…

Contains information on incidence of handicapping conditions among Texas Hispanic students; delivery of special education services to handicapped Texas Hispanics; a specific example of the application of a human resource planning model to bilingual handicapped students; significant staffing needs associated with serving exceptional Hispanics.…

Preschool teachers from Texas school districts with high and low Hispanic populations completed surveys examining their knowledge and beliefs about early childhood bilingualism and developmentally appropriate practice. Positive beliefs about the use of native language to develop emergent cognitive-academic language proficiency through active…