This digest discusses a study that examined the impact of sociocultural factors on the interactions between Latino language minority students and Latino paraeducators and the relationships that result from these interactions. The study explored whether a knowledge of students' culture and communities, primary language, and interaction styles helps…

Questions related to underrepresented groups' access to postsecondary education and their experiences while in college are fundamental to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunities for all students. Some researchers have viewed community colleges as important in giving access to students who might not have the academic ability for the…

This digest examines barriers to parent participation in the education of Mexican American students, and successful programs and strategies for overcoming those barriers. Research has found family participation in education to be twice as predictive of academic achievement as family socioeconomic status. Mexican American parents care about their…

Recognizing the failure of American schools to educate Hispanic and other minority students, educators are searching for new strategies and discovering the powerful role that parents can play in advancing educational goals. A growing body of evidence supports the belief that involving parents in their children's education works in the best…

The Latino population of the United States has grown dramatically in recent years, but Latino postsecondary participation and graduation rates have not increased. In 1998, only 7 percent of Mexican Americans (11 percent of all Latinos) held college degrees, versus 25 percent of the total U.S. population. This digest reviews the research on…

A study examined the characteristics of successful schools along the Texas-Mexico border, where high percentages of students were Mexican American, came from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and had limited English proficiency. Three elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools were selected on the basis of the following…

This digest focuses on teaching Spanish to native or Hispanic heritage language students in the United States. Heritage language students are students who speak another language (in this case Spanish) as their first language either because they were born in another country or because their families speak another language at home. The entrance of…

A study was done of Summer Research Opportunity Programs (SROPs) sponsored by graduate schools across the nation to encourage minority undergraduate students to pursue academic careers. Eight United States colleges and universities were selected for the study: Purdue University (Indiana), University of California at Los Angeles, Stanford…

This collection of articles by 15 leading researchers and teachers explores the social, cognitive, and pedagogical aspects of developing biliteracy--literacy in two languages. Chapters include the following: "Inheriting Sins While Seeking Absolution: Language Diversity and National Data Sets" (Reynaldo Macias); "Sociolinguistic…

Recent findings on the academic achievement of Hispanic students are digested in this paper. Data are derived from the study, "Make Something Happen," which was conducted by the National Commission on Secondary Education for Hispanics, and presents comprehensive findings on Hispanic education drawn from a special analysis of the Hispanic…

This digest summarizes what is known about scholastic achievement in general education at the college level, and is based on a study using the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (College BASE), a criterion-referenced achievement test of general education skills and competencies. College BASE assesses achievement in four subject areas:…

This monograph describes implications for public schools of rapidly growing populations of Mexican-Americans and other language minorities and recommends ways to eliminate institutional barriers to equity and excellence in education. It presents current information about such issues as dropout rates, reading levels, and participation in advanced…

Even though Mexican Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, their history and literature receive limited attention in schools. Incorporating Mexican American culture and history into the curriculum should help minimize the cultural myopia characteristic of many students and the cultural alienation that may contribute…

Mexican immigrant youth lag behind other immigrant groups in educational completion and achievement, but many resilient Mexican immigrant youth have overcome tough odds to succeed. This digest examines the research about resiliency and some promising programs for Mexican American youth. Resiliency theory identifies protective factors present in…

Economic pressures, work force diversity, and advances in technology are changing the nature of work and organizational policy and management. A predicted decline in the annual growth in gross national product is expected to trigger a slowdown in the labor force, especially in occupations that employ workers with only a high school education.…