A study was done by student researchers of Latino high school students' perspectives on the Latino dropout problem. Four large, zoned high schools with few selective programs and with substantial numbers of Latinos (23 percent to 43 percent) were selected. Two of these high schools had high and two had low Latino dropout rates. Approximately 60…

This report is a publication of the Hispanic Community Mobilization for Dropout Prevention (HCMDP) project, a two-year demonstration program of the ASPIRA Association, Inc. Institute for Policy Research. The project's goals are to create Hispanic community awareness of the Hispanic students' educational problems, and to provide Hispanic parents…

This guide provides answers to teachers' questions about Hispanic students. Its purpose is to provide a conceptual foundation for educators, and to sensitize and inform teachers of the plight of Hispanic students by making them aware of the students' historical, cultural, economic, language, and educational backgrounds. The following sections are…

For Mexican American students, grade-level reading and overall academic achievement decline, as measured by standardized tests, as they progress through the educational system. By grade seven, 65% of Mexican American students fail one or more grade levels below expected achievement. To reverse this trend of academic failure, teachers need to use…

This collection of papers suggests ways to foster the success of all students in schools and classrooms, focusing on the complex, changing identities young people manage while confronting the challenges of school. The papers are: "Introduction: Why Identity Matters at School" (Michael Sadowski); (1) "Identity and Possibility:…

Oklahoma is one of three states to offer a free prekindergarten (pre-K) program to all students in participating school districts on a voluntary basis. Fortuitous circumstances in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the state's largest school district, permitted an unusually rigorous evaluation of the pre-K program in Tulsa. Because 4-year-olds beginning pre-K and…

More than 50 years ago, in Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that sending children to separate schools solely on the basis of race was unconstitutional. Seven years prior, the Supreme Court ruled in Mendez vs. Westminster and the California Board of Education that Mexican American children could not be denied access…

This study examines the extent to which racial preferences are used in Colorado's 12 public colleges and universities and attempts to determine how the elimination of racial preferences would affect enrollment patterns in these schools. It uses actual admissions data from the State Commission on Higher Education. Detailed analysis shows that all…

This report is part of a series of Idea Books designed to help schools and communities work together to strengthen education so all students can achieve high academic standards. It is specifically designed to help administrators and teachers seeking to understand how Title I, Title VII, and other programs assist educators in helping Hispanic…

This collection of papers brings together the foremost leading authorities and scholars on the issue of literacy for Latino students. After an "Introduction" (Maria da la Luz Reyes and John J. Halcon), there are 14 chapters in three parts. Part 1, "Sociocultural, Sociohistorical, and Sociopolitical Context of Literacy"…

The year 1998 marked the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War, formalized the appropriation of half of Mexico's territory, and guaranteed Mexican-origin people in the appropriated territory the rights of U.S. citizens. The United States reneged on this promise almost immediately. Public…

This study investigates whether the growing use of standardized testing methods may impact learners differently across language proficiency levels. Survey and language proficiency data from 22 second grade native (African American) and non-native (Hispanic and Vietnamese) English speakers were analyzed to examine whether worry, or test anxiety,…

One of the most pressing problems in California is improving student academic performance, especially the state's burgeoning Latino student population. This study examined the extent of the achievement gap between Latino and White students over the first two years of elementary school and the characteristics of students and schools that contribute…

Minority group students perform less well than White students in elementary mathematics and science education. Strategies for increasing learning for minority students include the following: (1) greater use of textbook illustrations; (2) career strand applications; (3) community field trips; (4) textbook supplement through multicultural resources;…

The absence of a language policy in a rural central Illinois school district with a rapidly growing population of migrant Spanish-speaking students seriously affected the academic achievement and social inclusion of newcomer students. A case study focuses on attitudes and reactions of three teacher groups: English-only teachers, "bridge…