FACTS ABOUT INCOME, EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND OCCUPATIONS REVEALED THAT MORE SPANISH-SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS FALL IN LOWER STATUS CATEGORIES IN REGARD TO EDUCATION THAN DO INDIVIDUALS IN OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS OF THE SOUTHWEST. THEY ARE ISOLATED GEOGRAPHICALLY AND CULTURALLY FROM THE MAINSTREAM OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND LIVE A LIFE BASED ON AGRICULTURE. THEY HAVE NO PARTICULAR NEED FOR EDUCATION AS WE KNOW IT TODAY. MEXICANS DO NOT HAVE THE TRADITION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. THE GREATEST PROBLEM IN THE SPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO EDUCATION IS THAT OF THE DROPOUT, AMONG THE SPANISH-SPEAKING, OPTIMUM CONDITIONS FOR THE PURSUIT OF EDUCATION HAVE SELDOM EXISTED. IN RECENT YEARS TWO DEVELOPMENTS HAVE ARISEN TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION--SCHOOL FUNDS HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACTUAL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND THE COURTS HAVE RESTRAINED SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THEIR OFFICERS FROM SEGREGATING MEXICAN PUPILS. YET, SEGREGATED HOUSING AND RURAL LIVING STILL COMPOUND PROBLEMS ARISING FROM A LOW EDUCATIONAL STATUS. THE LACK OF MOTIVATION FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION ON THE PART OF THE SPANISH-SPEAKING AND THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN PROVIDING EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES REPRESENT TWO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMATIC AREAS. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD TAKE A MORE POSITIVE STAND IN EDUCATING THESE GROUPS. PARENTS SHOULD DEVELOP MORE SUPPORTIVE ATTITUDES TOWARD THE VALUE OF EDUCATION TO KEEP THEIR YOUNGSTERS IN SCHOOL.