Measured the influence of parental involvement on the academic achievement of 1,714 eighth-grade Mexican American children. Developed and tested a structural equations model which considers and controls for diversity of family backgrounds and values, students' previous achievements, and other factors. Found that parental involvement did influence…

The acquisition of English and Spanish was examined among 298 Mexican-American students who were limited-English-proficient at the start of kindergarten and who participated in maintenance bilingual programs in grades K-3. Oral proficiency in both languages increased for both boys and girls and across groups that had differed in early Spanish…

Examines the oral and written interactions of bilingual Mexican-origin students during a dialogue-journal literacy event that spanned first and second grades. Discusses student interpretations of their dialogue-journal assignments in terms of the students' childhood interests, social purposes, and participation in peer culture. (SV)

A followup of 380 limited-English-speaking Hispanic children in 20 Texas elementary schools found that most acquired English oral language skills at expected rates and were reading in English at expected levels by third grade. Reading achievement was related to instructional factors and early oral competence in either language. Contains 22…

Describes the problems facing schools with large Hispanic populations and the need for the federal government to develop specific policies directed toward improving the education of Hispanic Americans. Discusses the role of corporate and private support in working toward this goal. (LP)

A rural New Mexico project identifies gifted Hispanic and Native American children in the visual arts. Committees of parents, teachers, artists, and administrators use identification procedures sensitive to cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences and community ethnic identity. Program elements include culturally relevant differentiated…

The development of an inventory of Mexican immigrant students' reading preferences is described. A study involving 405 Mexican immigrant students in grades 6-9 in southern New Mexico examined various influences on reading preferences. Results indicate that although preferences differed by gender, grade level, and U.S. residence, titles reflecting…

This book relates the fictional story of Juanita Chavez, a Mexican-American teenager who unjustly faces expulsion from school after fighting with a White student who was spreading rumors about her family. Juanita knows that if she is expelled this will greatly disappoint her parents and shatter her dream of becoming the first one in her family to…

Since 1990, growing numbers of migrant students have prompted Cobden School District (Illinois) to develop a bilingual education program incorporating native-language instruction for students who speak Spanish, content courses in Spanish, and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes. The Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery is used to determine…

This proceedings, in English and Spanish, describes the first U.S./Mexico Curriculum Symposium, held in Austin, Texas, in November 1994. The symposium grew out of an ongoing exchange between educators in the Republic of Mexico and the United States and was attended by over 200 teachers, administrators, staff from state and regional education…

This directory includes information on 155 Latino organizations, cross-community agencies, and professional and employee groups that serve the Latino population in Colorado. Each listing includes name and address, a mission statement, available services, and events sponsored by the organization. The directory also lists media sources, including…

This report summarizes perceptions of Latino teachers concerning their professional preparation, their working environment, and school/community characteristics that affect the achievement and attainment of Latino students. A mailing of 1,252 survey questionnaires to members of the Association of Mexican American Educators was conducted. Of the…

Economically disadvantaged and ethnically diverse children are underrepresented in programs for the academically gifted. SPRING (Special Populations Rural Information Network for the Gifted) is a consortium of Indiana University, New Mexico State University, and Converse College (South Carolina) whose major concern is the identification and…

Hispanic students have higher dropout rates and lower academic achievement than Anglo students. While schools have begun to address the issue of underachievement, some community groups have implemented enrichment programs that focus on the affective domain--self-esteem, family values, and cultural pride. This digest describes and synthesizes the…

Previous research on Mexican Americans in higher education has ignored more prestigious institutions. A survey of 63 of the 79 Chicano graduates of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1979 revealed 2 distinct groups. One group (57%) resembled the traditional profile of Mexican American college students. These students came from…