I wonder if it is possible to consolidate these efforts in a single city and examine the effects. Then, perhaps we can develop policies that reach all cities. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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Cisneros: Nation's future linked to Latino success
2 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros said Monday he plans to create a nonprofit that will help integrate newcomers to U.S. society by improving their English and expanding their participation in military service and civic activities.
Cisneros, who served in the Clinton administration, said he hopes to launch the group this year to "proselytize" the significance of immigrants and "the absolutely invaluable role they'll play in the American future."
The group would team up with churches, schools and other nonprofits to offer a "life plan" on how people integrate into American society, he said. The plan would include showing parents how U.S. schools work and how they can help their children advance as well as promoting their responsibility in building the nation's future.
"We've got to get beyond just the basics of legalization and citizenship," Cisneros said.
Leaving 12 million people in the shadows and undocumented "is not what civilized country wants to do when it needs workers," he said.
Latinos make up 15 percent of the U.S. population and will make up a quarter of the population by 2050. Even if the nation's borders were closed, the Latino population in the U.S. is expected to grow because the population's families are younger and larger.
Cisneros said his effort dovetails with President Barack Obama's message of multicultural inclusion. He said he and Obama talked last year about the "aspirational" themes of the Hispanic population — better wages, educational achievement, health care and legalization.
Cisneros and several other high-profile Latinos argue in a new book, "Latinos and the Nation's Future," that the large numbers mean the advancement and global competitiveness of the country depends on the progress of the Latino population.
"Is America going to be populated by a population that is large but poor, undereducated, underproductive, alienated in due course for lack of opportunity?" he asked. "Or is it a going to be populated by a community that is large but has infused with the education and skills so that it is one of the contributors to the energy, the creativity the productivity of this country going forward?"
On the Net:
Arte Publico Press: http://www.arte.uh.edu/
Showing posts with label latinos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label latinos. Show all posts
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, December 15, 2008
Study Details Educational Challenges Facing U.S. Latino Community (from Hispanic Business)
I'm looking forward to reading this book.--Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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Study Details Educational Challenges Facing U.S. Latino Community
Dec 15 2008 1:50PM
Lydia Gil--EFE
In their forthcoming book, "The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed Social Policies," two U.S. professors detail the educational challenges confronting this country's Latino community.
UCLA's Patricia Gandara and Frances Contreras of the University of Washington examine not only the causes but also the social and economic consequences of this worrying educational gap.
According to the study, Latinos, the country's biggest and fastest-growing minority, academically are being left behind at a dangerous rate.
One of the more worrying figures cited in the study is that while other ethnic minorities have managed to increase the percentage of their members who complete university studies, about half of Latino students don't even finish high school, a level that is similar to what it was three decades ago.
Upon consideration of the rapid widening of the income gap between those who have a university diploma and those who do not, one can appreciate why the researchers have called this crisis alarming and potentially devastating for the Latino community.
However, although the study is quantitatively rigorous, it does not limit itself to simply forecasting the crisis, but rather calls for action to change the trend in the figures.
The book indicates that, in contrast to other immigrant groups in the past, Latinos nowadays will not be able to easily exceed the social and economic status of their parents and grandparents.
According to the authors, U.S. society imposes conditions that exceed the ability of immigrants to overcome educational and socio-economic barriers.
They say, however, that the educational gap between Latinos and other groups is not completely related, nor even in large measure, to conditions linked to immigration, given that several recent studies concluded that bilingual or recently arrived students tend to come out better academically than Latinos born and raised in the United States.
The study says that nowadays, just one in every 10 Latinos obtains a university degree compared to one in four non-Hispanic whites and one in three Asian Americans.
These figures show that the graduation rate among Latinos has not increased in recent decades, which, added to the population increase among the Latino community, translates into a serious prognosis for the country's economy.
The authors provide as an example the state of California, where by 2020 it is expected there will be a 11 percent decline in per capita income if there is no intervention in favor of students poorly represented in the university system.
The call to action is urgent not only for California, but also for other states including Arizona and Texas, where Latinos comprise a high percentage of the population and where the inequalities in access to university education are mirrored.
According to the study, the statistics reflect a problem that goes beyond the faults in the educational system or the lack of resources there into the "American mythology" that with enough effort, everyone can achieve success in this country without regard to the circumstances they confront.
By not focusing exclusively on immigration, language, the lack of systemic resources or administration policy, Gandara and Contreras provide a comprehensive vision of the causes of educational disparity between the different ethnic groups in the United States and the challenges confronting the Latino community, in particular.
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Study Details Educational Challenges Facing U.S. Latino Community
Dec 15 2008 1:50PM
Lydia Gil--EFE
In their forthcoming book, "The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed Social Policies," two U.S. professors detail the educational challenges confronting this country's Latino community.
UCLA's Patricia Gandara and Frances Contreras of the University of Washington examine not only the causes but also the social and economic consequences of this worrying educational gap.
According to the study, Latinos, the country's biggest and fastest-growing minority, academically are being left behind at a dangerous rate.
One of the more worrying figures cited in the study is that while other ethnic minorities have managed to increase the percentage of their members who complete university studies, about half of Latino students don't even finish high school, a level that is similar to what it was three decades ago.
Upon consideration of the rapid widening of the income gap between those who have a university diploma and those who do not, one can appreciate why the researchers have called this crisis alarming and potentially devastating for the Latino community.
However, although the study is quantitatively rigorous, it does not limit itself to simply forecasting the crisis, but rather calls for action to change the trend in the figures.
The book indicates that, in contrast to other immigrant groups in the past, Latinos nowadays will not be able to easily exceed the social and economic status of their parents and grandparents.
According to the authors, U.S. society imposes conditions that exceed the ability of immigrants to overcome educational and socio-economic barriers.
They say, however, that the educational gap between Latinos and other groups is not completely related, nor even in large measure, to conditions linked to immigration, given that several recent studies concluded that bilingual or recently arrived students tend to come out better academically than Latinos born and raised in the United States.
The study says that nowadays, just one in every 10 Latinos obtains a university degree compared to one in four non-Hispanic whites and one in three Asian Americans.
These figures show that the graduation rate among Latinos has not increased in recent decades, which, added to the population increase among the Latino community, translates into a serious prognosis for the country's economy.
The authors provide as an example the state of California, where by 2020 it is expected there will be a 11 percent decline in per capita income if there is no intervention in favor of students poorly represented in the university system.
The call to action is urgent not only for California, but also for other states including Arizona and Texas, where Latinos comprise a high percentage of the population and where the inequalities in access to university education are mirrored.
According to the study, the statistics reflect a problem that goes beyond the faults in the educational system or the lack of resources there into the "American mythology" that with enough effort, everyone can achieve success in this country without regard to the circumstances they confront.
By not focusing exclusively on immigration, language, the lack of systemic resources or administration policy, Gandara and Contreras provide a comprehensive vision of the causes of educational disparity between the different ethnic groups in the United States and the challenges confronting the Latino community, in particular.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Hispanic Workers Hardest Hit by Economy (from the Providence Journal)
Much of the dropout research demonstrates that students who leave school before graduation tend to do so because they have to help support their families. We should expect a rise in dropout rates given the challenges with the economy. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Hispanic workers hardest hit by economy
Hispanic Workers Seen As Hard Hit By Downturn
Providence Journal By Andy Smith November 16, 2008
Hispanic family income fell between 2000 and 2007 and the recession is expected to further erode their purchasing power.
A report recently issued by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on low- and middle-income workers, found that Hispanic workers across the country experienced little economic progress between 2000 and 2007. According to the authors of the report, that spells disheartening news for Hispanic workers in the current economic crisis.
"I expect that Hispanics will be hurt very badly," said Algernon Austin, director of the program on race, ethnicity and the economy for the institute, and co-author of the report.
Austin and co-author Marie T. Mora found that median Hispanic family income fell by 2.2 percent between 2000 and 2007, compared with a 9.5 percent growth rate among Hispanic families in the 1990s.
Median weekly earnings for Hispanic workers grew by 4.7 percent from 2000 to 2007, from $480 a week to $503 a week. Median income for all U.S. workers experienced very little growth in the same period, but at $695 per week it was significantly higher than that of Hispanic families.
"In sum, the Hispanic population began the 2000s business cycle significantly worse off economically than the nation as a whole, and they are ending the cycle in virtually the same place," the report concluded. "Unfortunately, as we face what looks like a severe economic downturn, Hispanics run the risk of falling further behind."
Ramon Martinez, president and chief executive officer of Progreso Latino in Rhode Island, said he's in general agreement with the report. "Rhode Island is a microcosm of the country ... I think the recessionary impact on Hispanics will be severe." Martinez said Progreso Latino's mission is to empower the Hispanic community through education, training and advocacy.
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, national unemployment rates for Hispanics jumped from 7.8 percent in September to 8.8 percent last month. The national unemployment rate for all workers is 6.5 percent. The unemployment rate in Rhode Island for all workers is 8.8 percent, the highest in the country. (The state Department of Labor and Training does not categorize monthly unemployment rates by ethnicity.)
A key factor in rising unemployment among Hispanic workers has been the collapse of the U.S. housing market and the subsequent implosion of the construction industry. According to federal statistics, since its peak in September 2006, the construction industry has lost 663,000 jobs.
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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Hispanic workers hardest hit by economy
Hispanic Workers Seen As Hard Hit By Downturn
Providence Journal By Andy Smith November 16, 2008
Hispanic family income fell between 2000 and 2007 and the recession is expected to further erode their purchasing power.
A report recently issued by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on low- and middle-income workers, found that Hispanic workers across the country experienced little economic progress between 2000 and 2007. According to the authors of the report, that spells disheartening news for Hispanic workers in the current economic crisis.
"I expect that Hispanics will be hurt very badly," said Algernon Austin, director of the program on race, ethnicity and the economy for the institute, and co-author of the report.
Austin and co-author Marie T. Mora found that median Hispanic family income fell by 2.2 percent between 2000 and 2007, compared with a 9.5 percent growth rate among Hispanic families in the 1990s.
Median weekly earnings for Hispanic workers grew by 4.7 percent from 2000 to 2007, from $480 a week to $503 a week. Median income for all U.S. workers experienced very little growth in the same period, but at $695 per week it was significantly higher than that of Hispanic families.
"In sum, the Hispanic population began the 2000s business cycle significantly worse off economically than the nation as a whole, and they are ending the cycle in virtually the same place," the report concluded. "Unfortunately, as we face what looks like a severe economic downturn, Hispanics run the risk of falling further behind."
Ramon Martinez, president and chief executive officer of Progreso Latino in Rhode Island, said he's in general agreement with the report. "Rhode Island is a microcosm of the country ... I think the recessionary impact on Hispanics will be severe." Martinez said Progreso Latino's mission is to empower the Hispanic community through education, training and advocacy.
According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, national unemployment rates for Hispanics jumped from 7.8 percent in September to 8.8 percent last month. The national unemployment rate for all workers is 6.5 percent. The unemployment rate in Rhode Island for all workers is 8.8 percent, the highest in the country. (The state Department of Labor and Training does not categorize monthly unemployment rates by ethnicity.)
A key factor in rising unemployment among Hispanic workers has been the collapse of the U.S. housing market and the subsequent implosion of the construction industry. According to federal statistics, since its peak in September 2006, the construction industry has lost 663,000 jobs.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
High-quality High School Turns Former Gang Member Into Community Organizer (from La Voz in Colorado)
Just shows what opportunity can bring for our nation's young people. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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High-quality High School Turns Former Gang Member Into Community Organizer
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Ely Flores remembers the day when, at six years old, he first saw gunshots fly in his neighborhood as rival gang members fired back and forth. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, where gangs and drugs dominated, presented many obstacles to success.
"My father left the family when I was young," Flores says. "That left my mom very sad and pushed my older brother and me into gangs.
"Eventually, Flores was kicked out of his local high school because of gang involvement. He was committed to house arrest several times. With regard to education, Flores experienced a situation familiar to many Latinos. Fewer than six in 10 Latino students in the U.S. graduate from high schools on time with a traditional diploma, and more than two in five drop out, according to an Education Week study.
But after enrolling at LA CAUSA YouthBuild in East Los Angeles -- an alternative school supported in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation --Flores envisioned a new future for himself.
LA CAUSA is one of 29 schools belonging to YouthBuild USA's National Schools Initiative, which brings alternative high school models to low-income students who had previously been dropouts. The program helps these students earn a high school diploma and prepare for college or the workforce.
Teachers in YouthBuild schools show students -- many of whom have been incarcerated or otherwise fell through the cracks -- that they can succeed despite their troubled pasts. Students enjoy small class sizes and supportive learning environments as well as leadership development training and career counseling. Students gain construction skills through hands-on learning while taking high school courses. In some cases, they can also earn early college credits.
For many students, the YouthBuild model is transformative.
"These schools and programs are trying some very interesting new things and are on the cutting edge of education," said Lissette Rodriguez, YouthBuild's vice president for field services. "Most people agree that youths who have dropped out deserve a chance. But it is more challenging for them to believe that these young people can achieve at a high level and go on to graduate from college.
"YouthBuild leaders are already proving that students who were cast off in the past can succeed. In the 2006-07 school year, roughly two out of three YouthBuild students either earned a high school diploma or received their general equivalency degree (GED). Four in 10 students were accepted into a college program.
Ely Flores was an early YouthBuild success story, graduating from LA CAUSA in 2005 with his high school diploma and GED.
"Ely was always a leader. He was just using his leadership for the wrong things," said Alejandro Covarrubias, who founded LA CAUSA YouthBuild in 2002. "He needed to see a model for positive behavior.
"After some rocky periods and with the school's help, Flores left his gang. Now 21 he is a young father, college student, and student mentor for students. Flores developed a passion for community organizing through LA CAUSA and now leads workshops for young people on leadership, youth empowerment, and human rights.
Turnarounds like Flores' are not uncommon in the hundreds of schools nationally that use grants from the Gates Foundation to transform the traditional high school. While each grantee takes a slightly different route, the foundation is most interested in smaller schools with high expectations and high-quality teaching.
The Gates Foundation and its partners are acutely concerned with the historically poor high school graduation rates and college attendance rates for Latino students. Since 2000, the foundation has invested more than $1.9 billion in more than 1,800 schools across the country.
Flores says experiences like his prove that high schools with fresh approaches can change the course of students' lives.
Flores wanted to show his newborn son a new way of life. But for years he was torn, feeling like leaving his gang would be the ultimate act of disloyalty. "LA CAUSA finally taught me what was really going on [with the gang]," Flores said. "And instead of just running with my friends, I began to tell myself that I could help my homies out by empowering them. I just realized there was something bigger in my life."
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High-quality High School Turns Former Gang Member Into Community Organizer
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Ely Flores remembers the day when, at six years old, he first saw gunshots fly in his neighborhood as rival gang members fired back and forth. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, where gangs and drugs dominated, presented many obstacles to success.
"My father left the family when I was young," Flores says. "That left my mom very sad and pushed my older brother and me into gangs.
"Eventually, Flores was kicked out of his local high school because of gang involvement. He was committed to house arrest several times. With regard to education, Flores experienced a situation familiar to many Latinos. Fewer than six in 10 Latino students in the U.S. graduate from high schools on time with a traditional diploma, and more than two in five drop out, according to an Education Week study.
But after enrolling at LA CAUSA YouthBuild in East Los Angeles -- an alternative school supported in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation --Flores envisioned a new future for himself.
LA CAUSA is one of 29 schools belonging to YouthBuild USA's National Schools Initiative, which brings alternative high school models to low-income students who had previously been dropouts. The program helps these students earn a high school diploma and prepare for college or the workforce.
Teachers in YouthBuild schools show students -- many of whom have been incarcerated or otherwise fell through the cracks -- that they can succeed despite their troubled pasts. Students enjoy small class sizes and supportive learning environments as well as leadership development training and career counseling. Students gain construction skills through hands-on learning while taking high school courses. In some cases, they can also earn early college credits.
For many students, the YouthBuild model is transformative.
"These schools and programs are trying some very interesting new things and are on the cutting edge of education," said Lissette Rodriguez, YouthBuild's vice president for field services. "Most people agree that youths who have dropped out deserve a chance. But it is more challenging for them to believe that these young people can achieve at a high level and go on to graduate from college.
"YouthBuild leaders are already proving that students who were cast off in the past can succeed. In the 2006-07 school year, roughly two out of three YouthBuild students either earned a high school diploma or received their general equivalency degree (GED). Four in 10 students were accepted into a college program.
Ely Flores was an early YouthBuild success story, graduating from LA CAUSA in 2005 with his high school diploma and GED.
"Ely was always a leader. He was just using his leadership for the wrong things," said Alejandro Covarrubias, who founded LA CAUSA YouthBuild in 2002. "He needed to see a model for positive behavior.
"After some rocky periods and with the school's help, Flores left his gang. Now 21 he is a young father, college student, and student mentor for students. Flores developed a passion for community organizing through LA CAUSA and now leads workshops for young people on leadership, youth empowerment, and human rights.
Turnarounds like Flores' are not uncommon in the hundreds of schools nationally that use grants from the Gates Foundation to transform the traditional high school. While each grantee takes a slightly different route, the foundation is most interested in smaller schools with high expectations and high-quality teaching.
The Gates Foundation and its partners are acutely concerned with the historically poor high school graduation rates and college attendance rates for Latino students. Since 2000, the foundation has invested more than $1.9 billion in more than 1,800 schools across the country.
Flores says experiences like his prove that high schools with fresh approaches can change the course of students' lives.
Flores wanted to show his newborn son a new way of life. But for years he was torn, feeling like leaving his gang would be the ultimate act of disloyalty. "LA CAUSA finally taught me what was really going on [with the gang]," Flores said. "And instead of just running with my friends, I began to tell myself that I could help my homies out by empowering them. I just realized there was something bigger in my life."
Friday, September 19, 2008
Hispanic immigrant college students impacted by court ruling
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Hispanic immigrant college students impacted by court ruling
MALDEF URGES CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF IN-STATE TUITION RULING
AB 540 Still Remains in Effect Pending Final Resolution
Press Release
LOS ANGELES, CA - Yesterday, a California Appellate Court issued a ruling that calls into question the continued validity of California’s AB 540. AB 540 is a California law which provides a waiver of the out-of-state tuition fees at California’s public colleges and universities for any student – regardless of immigration status – who has completed three years at a California high school and has attained a high school diploma.
Specifically, the Court of Appeal held that under AB 540 eligibility for in-state tuition is based on residency and therefore violates federal law. The Court so ruled despite the fact that eligibility is based on attending a California high school and receiving a high school diploma, criteria that are unrelated to residency. The case likely will be resolved through an appeal to the California Supreme Court.
“Yesterday’s appellate decision must not close the door to higher education for undocumented immigrant students in California. They are graduates of our public schools and they, and their parents, have paid taxes to the state. California needs them for our future and ignoring their California ties makes us all poorer,” said MALDEF Western Regional Counsel Nancy Ramirez.
AB 540 remains in effect, and will likely continue to remain in effect until there is a final resolution of the case. In the meantime, students who are eligible should continue to receive the tuition waiver. If AB 540 is ultimately overturned, undocumented students who would have been eligible for the AB 540 tuition waiver will still be allowed to attend California public colleges and universities but will be required to pay out-of-state rather than in-state tuition.
The decision is yet another reason for the next President and Congress to fulfill their constitutional authority by enacting comprehensive immigration reform. Many of these students and their parents work in the most dangerous and difficult jobs in our state and country. Their hard work and aspirations for higher education can not be ignored.
“We will continue this fight in the California Supreme Court, if need be. Current AB 540 students, the vast majority of whom are United States citizens, must not be discouraged. Their place in college remains intact,” said Cynthia Valenzuela, MALDEF’s Director of Litigation.
MALDEF sought to intervene at the trial level and filed an amicus brief with the appellate court. MALDEF will work with legislators, state officials, students and the community to permit AB 540 students to remain and pay in-state tuition.
Founded in 1968, MALDEF, the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization, promotes and protects the rights of Latinos through litigation, advocacy, community education and outreach, leadership development, and higher education scholarships. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: http://www.maldef.org/.
Hispanic immigrant college students impacted by court ruling
MALDEF URGES CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF IN-STATE TUITION RULING
AB 540 Still Remains in Effect Pending Final Resolution
Press Release
LOS ANGELES, CA - Yesterday, a California Appellate Court issued a ruling that calls into question the continued validity of California’s AB 540. AB 540 is a California law which provides a waiver of the out-of-state tuition fees at California’s public colleges and universities for any student – regardless of immigration status – who has completed three years at a California high school and has attained a high school diploma.
Specifically, the Court of Appeal held that under AB 540 eligibility for in-state tuition is based on residency and therefore violates federal law. The Court so ruled despite the fact that eligibility is based on attending a California high school and receiving a high school diploma, criteria that are unrelated to residency. The case likely will be resolved through an appeal to the California Supreme Court.
“Yesterday’s appellate decision must not close the door to higher education for undocumented immigrant students in California. They are graduates of our public schools and they, and their parents, have paid taxes to the state. California needs them for our future and ignoring their California ties makes us all poorer,” said MALDEF Western Regional Counsel Nancy Ramirez.
AB 540 remains in effect, and will likely continue to remain in effect until there is a final resolution of the case. In the meantime, students who are eligible should continue to receive the tuition waiver. If AB 540 is ultimately overturned, undocumented students who would have been eligible for the AB 540 tuition waiver will still be allowed to attend California public colleges and universities but will be required to pay out-of-state rather than in-state tuition.
The decision is yet another reason for the next President and Congress to fulfill their constitutional authority by enacting comprehensive immigration reform. Many of these students and their parents work in the most dangerous and difficult jobs in our state and country. Their hard work and aspirations for higher education can not be ignored.
“We will continue this fight in the California Supreme Court, if need be. Current AB 540 students, the vast majority of whom are United States citizens, must not be discouraged. Their place in college remains intact,” said Cynthia Valenzuela, MALDEF’s Director of Litigation.
MALDEF sought to intervene at the trial level and filed an amicus brief with the appellate court. MALDEF will work with legislators, state officials, students and the community to permit AB 540 students to remain and pay in-state tuition.
Founded in 1968, MALDEF, the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization, promotes and protects the rights of Latinos through litigation, advocacy, community education and outreach, leadership development, and higher education scholarships. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: http://www.maldef.org/.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Summit links state, a half-million Hispanics (from Associated Press)
Recognizing the Latino presence in the mid-Atlantic area. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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Summit links state, a half-million Hispanics
By the Associated Press
September 19, 2008
CHESTER, Va. - Gov. Tim Kaine is scheduled to deliver remarks to about 300 people attending the 2008 Virginia Latino summit.
The gathering Friday at John Tyler Community College in Chester is sponsored by the Virginia Latino Advisory Board.
The summit is intended to provide information about state services and resources to those who serve Latinos in education, health, human resources, public safety and commerce.
Approximately 508,000 Hispanics live in Virginia.
Then-Gov. Mark R. Warner created the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission in 2003. The commission was made into the permanent Virginia Latino Advisory Board in 2005.
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Summit links state, a half-million Hispanics
By the Associated Press
September 19, 2008
CHESTER, Va. - Gov. Tim Kaine is scheduled to deliver remarks to about 300 people attending the 2008 Virginia Latino summit.
The gathering Friday at John Tyler Community College in Chester is sponsored by the Virginia Latino Advisory Board.
The summit is intended to provide information about state services and resources to those who serve Latinos in education, health, human resources, public safety and commerce.
Approximately 508,000 Hispanics live in Virginia.
Then-Gov. Mark R. Warner created the Virginia Latino Advisory Commission in 2003. The commission was made into the permanent Virginia Latino Advisory Board in 2005.
Report finds Latinos gloomy over economy (from The Desert Sun)
Interesting findings as the presidential election approaches. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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The Desert Sun
September 18, 2008
Report finds Latinos gloomy over economy
Nicole C. Brambila
The Desert Sun
One in two Latinos say their situation is worse now than a year ago, according to a poll released today.
The news comes on the heels of multi-billion government bailouts, low consumer confidence and an increasingly shaky Wall Street.
In 2007, just 42 percent of all Latinos said their situation had worsened, according to the poll conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
Among the report’s findings:
• 15 percent say that finding and keeping a job is difficult because they are Latino
• 81 percent say immigration enforcement should be done by the federal government, not local law enforcement.
• 76 percent disapprove of workplace raids and 70 percent disapprove of criminal prosecution for employers who hire undocumented workers.
• 10 percent say police and other authorities have stopped them and asked about their immigration status.
• The majority of Latinos worry about deportation, 57 percent.
The poll of 2,015 Latinos – 44 percent of who report they are registered to vote – was conducted June 9 through July 13.
This gloomy outlook is most prevalent among immigrants, 63 percent of whom say their situation has worsened in the past year as the down turn in the economy and rising unemployment has hit Latinos especially hard and the federal government steps up enforcement.
Founded in 2001, the Pew Hispanic Center conducts research on Latinos and their impact in the United States to foster education. The Center does not take policy positions.
To read the full report, go to www.pewhispanic.org.
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The Desert Sun
September 18, 2008
Report finds Latinos gloomy over economy
Nicole C. Brambila
The Desert Sun
One in two Latinos say their situation is worse now than a year ago, according to a poll released today.
The news comes on the heels of multi-billion government bailouts, low consumer confidence and an increasingly shaky Wall Street.
In 2007, just 42 percent of all Latinos said their situation had worsened, according to the poll conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center.
Among the report’s findings:
• 15 percent say that finding and keeping a job is difficult because they are Latino
• 81 percent say immigration enforcement should be done by the federal government, not local law enforcement.
• 76 percent disapprove of workplace raids and 70 percent disapprove of criminal prosecution for employers who hire undocumented workers.
• 10 percent say police and other authorities have stopped them and asked about their immigration status.
• The majority of Latinos worry about deportation, 57 percent.
The poll of 2,015 Latinos – 44 percent of who report they are registered to vote – was conducted June 9 through July 13.
This gloomy outlook is most prevalent among immigrants, 63 percent of whom say their situation has worsened in the past year as the down turn in the economy and rising unemployment has hit Latinos especially hard and the federal government steps up enforcement.
Founded in 2001, the Pew Hispanic Center conducts research on Latinos and their impact in the United States to foster education. The Center does not take policy positions.
To read the full report, go to www.pewhispanic.org.
Report: Nev. should add funds for English learners (from Associated Press)
Notice how Las Vegas has been transformed over the last decade. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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Report: Nev. should add funds for English learners
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS
A new report says Nevada isn't investing enough in instruction for English-language learners to meet the changing needs of a growing number of students.
The report, called "Gambling on the Future: Managing the Education Challenges of Rapid Growth in Nevada," says a lack of funding and resources for English learners jeopardizes Nevada's economic future.
The Washington, D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy compiled the report. MPI is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank that studies the movement of people worldwide.
The report says Nevada's immigrant population increased 50 percent between 2000 and 2006, and English-language learners compose about 15 percent of the state's students.
A Clark County School District official says the numbers are higher in the Las Vegas-based district, where more than 62,000 of the district's 300,000 students are English-language learners.
___
Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 09:39 PDT
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Report: Nev. should add funds for English learners
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS
A new report says Nevada isn't investing enough in instruction for English-language learners to meet the changing needs of a growing number of students.
The report, called "Gambling on the Future: Managing the Education Challenges of Rapid Growth in Nevada," says a lack of funding and resources for English learners jeopardizes Nevada's economic future.
The Washington, D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy compiled the report. MPI is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank that studies the movement of people worldwide.
The report says Nevada's immigrant population increased 50 percent between 2000 and 2006, and English-language learners compose about 15 percent of the state's students.
A Clark County School District official says the numbers are higher in the Las Vegas-based district, where more than 62,000 of the district's 300,000 students are English-language learners.
___
Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 09:39 PDT
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Returning Dropouts Said to Face Too Tough a Road to Graduation (from Ed Week)
Once again the significance of relationships rings true as a glue between students and school. Yet, our system continues to focus on the structural approaches to school reform. As I stated in my book, Small School and Urban Youth, relationships may be part of the silver bullet.
Also, with regard to the article below, the report's authors speculated that the reason why Latinos are less likely to re-enroll is related to the proximity to Mexico and their back-and-forth travel. Well, I'm from San Bernardino and I know for a fact that most students are 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation Chicanos from the area. Their mobility to Mexico is less likely, in my opinion, and I would say that it probably has more to do with housing, job instability for parents and students, health-related factors, and possibly the overrepresentation of these students caught up in the juvenile justice system. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Education Week
Returning Dropouts Said to Face Too Tough a Road to Graduation
By Debra Viadero
In the research on dropouts, the experiences of students like Robert Ortega, an 18-year-old senior at San Bernardino High School in California who dropped out of high school and re-enrolled twice, were once an invisible piece of the puzzle.
That’s because most studies on dropouts tend to focus on their numbers and what causes them to give up on school. A study released last week by researchers from WestEd, a San Francisco-based research group, takes a different tack, shedding a spotlight on the students who come back.
The study examines what happens to high school dropouts when they return to their studies, whether they graduate on the second, third, or fourth try, and the systemic disincentives that conspire to keep them out of the classroom.
“These are truly resilient, remarkable people,” said BethAnn Berliner, a senior research associate at WestEd and the study’s lead author. “And large urban districts with high rates of low-income families and high rates of retries are confronted with lots of disincentives to re-enrolling them.”
For their study, which was conducted for a federal regional education laboratory that WestEd runs, Ms. Berliner and her colleagues tracked 3,856 students from fall 2001, when they entered 9th grade in San Bernardino city schools for the first time, until 2006, when most had finished high school.
Even though the study focused on San Bernardino, a 59,000-student district south of Los Angeles that has drawn negative publicity for its high dropout rates, the findings have implications for many districts nationwide, experts said.
“I expect there are some differences among districts, but, by and large, these conditions exist in a lot of schools,” said Thomas Timar, a professor of education policy at the University of California, Davis, and the director of the university’s Center for Applied Policy in Education. “Trying to find ways of making it easier for students to re-enter school is probably not something that people have the time and inclination to do,” added Mr. Timar, who was not part of the WestEd study.
Out and In
Of the students the study tracked, more than a third—1,352 students—dropped out of school at least once over the five years of the study period. Yet for a sizeable proportion of those students, as for Mr. Ortega, dropping out was not a permanent condition.
Thirty-one percent of the dropouts, or 419 students, re-enrolled at some point. In the end, though, only 77 of the repeat students went on to graduate within five years.
The researchers also found that 15.5 percent of the returning students came back more than once. Fourteen percent of the returning students—59 students—re-enrolled twice and six students made three tries for their diploma.
“But our data underrepresents the problem,” added Ms. Berliner. “The students’ perception was that they had dropped out and come back more times than showed up on legitimate paper.”
For More Info
For background, previous stories, and Web links, read DropoutsThe study also found that, compared with African-American students, Hispanic students were more likely to drop out and less likely to re-enroll, possibly because many such students in San Bernardino often move back and forth between the United States and Mexico, where researchers are unable to track them. White students and Asian-American students, who had lower dropout rates to begin with, also re-enrolled at lower rates than black students.
The students who dropped out did so for all the typical reasons, including family problems, mounting course failures, poor academic skills, homelessness, and the lure of gang life, according to the study, which drew on interviews with students and teachers as well as district statistics. The researchers found that a similar set of factors push and pull students back to school.
“The primary push was that there was no place in the economy for a teenager without a high school diploma,” Ms. Berliner said. “The primary pull was a caring adult—for the most part, principals and coaches—who understood students’ life story and said, ‘Come back, we’ll do whatever it takes to get you back in school.’ ”
In Mr. Ortega’s case, as with many students, family responsibilities also played a leading role in leaving. Mr. Ortega left school in his sophomore year after his mother became fatally ill. Faced with having to take care of her, raise his three nephews, and earn enough money to support the family, the teenager felt he had no choice but to drop out.
Trying Again
While many dropouts from a large California district never returned, a substantial slice of them re-enrolled at least once. Nearly 85 percent of those re-enrollees did not manage to graduate, however.
SOURCE: WestEdHe re-enrolled last November after his mother died and his estranged sister took the family in.
“I always promised my grandfather that I would finish high school one way or another,” he said in an interview. “It blew my mind, finding out that the school was able to set me back in and get me the chances I need to finish.”
Aware of his personal problems, school officials arranged Mr. Ortega’s schedule so that he could take core academic classes early in the morning and then leave school in time to be home when his younger nephews returned from school.
Dearth of Options
In that respect, Mr. Ortega may be luckier than some of the re-enrollees who preceded him. At the time of the study, none of the district’s five traditional high schools had programs in place to help students recover credit for missed or failed courses, which was found to be a major reason that students drop out a second and third time.
Returning students, for the most part, were treated like any other student, the report found, sometimes returning to the same classes that they had already failed once.
Flexible scheduling, self-paced study, and credit-recovery programs are options at the district’s two “continuation schools,” which is what California calls alternative schools specifically aimed at troubled students. But in San Bernardino, the wait to get into those schools can be as long as a year.
Also, students don’t become eligible for some of the accelerated credit-recovery programs at the continuation school, or for adult education programs, until they are 16 or older, according to the report.
The problem is that 60 percent of the students who come back dropped out in their freshman year, when they were typically 14 or 15, according to the study.
And neither students nor educators view district summer school programs, which are geared to helping students pass state exams, as a good way to earn back credit.
“There needs to be some way to retrieve credits quickly so students don’t fall so far behind, feel hopeless, and drop out,” Ms. Berliner said. One result of the lack of options: A third of re-enrollees leave school before earning even one class credit, the study found.
San Bernardino school officials, for their part, have long put a high priority on luring dropouts back to school. Two years ago, for instance, the district began a twice-a-year campaign to recover errant students, sending staff members to knock on the doors of as many as 700 who hadn’t been showing up for class. The district also offers a middle college high school, Internet-based courses, a fifth-year schooling option, and programs for pregnant and parenting students to keep them on track to graduate.
Built-In Barriers
But school officials and researchers said educators also get penalized for re-enrolling dropouts because of built-in disincentives in the state and federal school systems.
“Under No Child Left Behind, a teacher has to be focused on raising test scores,” said Arturo Delgado, the district superintendent, referring to the far-reaching federal law on K-12 education. “That teacher may not feel very rewarded when we show up and say, ‘Congratulations, here are five or six students who’ve been out the last six months,’ because that student might drag down test scores."
What’s more, under state accountability rules, districts “get dinged,” as Ms. Berliner puts it, for graduating students in five years, rather than the usual four, and dropouts who re-enroll and then drop out again are counted as two separate dropouts. “Then the school gets labeled a dropout factory,” said Mr. Delgado, “and people lose confidence in the system.”
The report also suggests that, because the returning students often have sporadic attendance and take longer to graduate, districts lose out under the state’s school finance system, which calculates per-pupil funding based on a district’s average daily attendance over the course of the previous school year.
Russell W. Rumberger, a professor of education policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the director of the California Dropout Research Project, said the WestEd study is among a growing number of much-needed longitudinal studies tracking actual dropout patterns among high school students rather than relying on statistical calculations.
He said all the studies underscore the importance of 9th grade as the make-or-break year, and of accumulating course failures as a key trigger in students’ decision to leave school. “The kids with less course failures are the kids who re-enroll,” he noted.
Vol. 28, Issue 01, Pages 12-13
Back to Top
September 18, 2008 |Receive RSS
Advertisement
Related Stories
“Tackling the Dropout Crisis Comprehensively,” June 5, 2008.
“Project Aims to Tackle Dropout Problem, California-Style,” April 30, 2008.
“Dropout Campaigns Envisioned for States, 50 Key City Districts,” April 9, 2008.
Advertisement
© 2008 Editorial Projects in Education
About Us | Subscriptions | Site Licenses | Recruitment Advertising | Display Advertising | Policies | Help/FAQ | Contact us EW Archive
Also, with regard to the article below, the report's authors speculated that the reason why Latinos are less likely to re-enroll is related to the proximity to Mexico and their back-and-forth travel. Well, I'm from San Bernardino and I know for a fact that most students are 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation Chicanos from the area. Their mobility to Mexico is less likely, in my opinion, and I would say that it probably has more to do with housing, job instability for parents and students, health-related factors, and possibly the overrepresentation of these students caught up in the juvenile justice system. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Education Week
Returning Dropouts Said to Face Too Tough a Road to Graduation
By Debra Viadero
In the research on dropouts, the experiences of students like Robert Ortega, an 18-year-old senior at San Bernardino High School in California who dropped out of high school and re-enrolled twice, were once an invisible piece of the puzzle.
That’s because most studies on dropouts tend to focus on their numbers and what causes them to give up on school. A study released last week by researchers from WestEd, a San Francisco-based research group, takes a different tack, shedding a spotlight on the students who come back.
The study examines what happens to high school dropouts when they return to their studies, whether they graduate on the second, third, or fourth try, and the systemic disincentives that conspire to keep them out of the classroom.
“These are truly resilient, remarkable people,” said BethAnn Berliner, a senior research associate at WestEd and the study’s lead author. “And large urban districts with high rates of low-income families and high rates of retries are confronted with lots of disincentives to re-enrolling them.”
For their study, which was conducted for a federal regional education laboratory that WestEd runs, Ms. Berliner and her colleagues tracked 3,856 students from fall 2001, when they entered 9th grade in San Bernardino city schools for the first time, until 2006, when most had finished high school.
Even though the study focused on San Bernardino, a 59,000-student district south of Los Angeles that has drawn negative publicity for its high dropout rates, the findings have implications for many districts nationwide, experts said.
“I expect there are some differences among districts, but, by and large, these conditions exist in a lot of schools,” said Thomas Timar, a professor of education policy at the University of California, Davis, and the director of the university’s Center for Applied Policy in Education. “Trying to find ways of making it easier for students to re-enter school is probably not something that people have the time and inclination to do,” added Mr. Timar, who was not part of the WestEd study.
Out and In
Of the students the study tracked, more than a third—1,352 students—dropped out of school at least once over the five years of the study period. Yet for a sizeable proportion of those students, as for Mr. Ortega, dropping out was not a permanent condition.
Thirty-one percent of the dropouts, or 419 students, re-enrolled at some point. In the end, though, only 77 of the repeat students went on to graduate within five years.
The researchers also found that 15.5 percent of the returning students came back more than once. Fourteen percent of the returning students—59 students—re-enrolled twice and six students made three tries for their diploma.
“But our data underrepresents the problem,” added Ms. Berliner. “The students’ perception was that they had dropped out and come back more times than showed up on legitimate paper.”
For More Info
For background, previous stories, and Web links, read DropoutsThe study also found that, compared with African-American students, Hispanic students were more likely to drop out and less likely to re-enroll, possibly because many such students in San Bernardino often move back and forth between the United States and Mexico, where researchers are unable to track them. White students and Asian-American students, who had lower dropout rates to begin with, also re-enrolled at lower rates than black students.
The students who dropped out did so for all the typical reasons, including family problems, mounting course failures, poor academic skills, homelessness, and the lure of gang life, according to the study, which drew on interviews with students and teachers as well as district statistics. The researchers found that a similar set of factors push and pull students back to school.
“The primary push was that there was no place in the economy for a teenager without a high school diploma,” Ms. Berliner said. “The primary pull was a caring adult—for the most part, principals and coaches—who understood students’ life story and said, ‘Come back, we’ll do whatever it takes to get you back in school.’ ”
In Mr. Ortega’s case, as with many students, family responsibilities also played a leading role in leaving. Mr. Ortega left school in his sophomore year after his mother became fatally ill. Faced with having to take care of her, raise his three nephews, and earn enough money to support the family, the teenager felt he had no choice but to drop out.
Trying Again
While many dropouts from a large California district never returned, a substantial slice of them re-enrolled at least once. Nearly 85 percent of those re-enrollees did not manage to graduate, however.
SOURCE: WestEdHe re-enrolled last November after his mother died and his estranged sister took the family in.
“I always promised my grandfather that I would finish high school one way or another,” he said in an interview. “It blew my mind, finding out that the school was able to set me back in and get me the chances I need to finish.”
Aware of his personal problems, school officials arranged Mr. Ortega’s schedule so that he could take core academic classes early in the morning and then leave school in time to be home when his younger nephews returned from school.
Dearth of Options
In that respect, Mr. Ortega may be luckier than some of the re-enrollees who preceded him. At the time of the study, none of the district’s five traditional high schools had programs in place to help students recover credit for missed or failed courses, which was found to be a major reason that students drop out a second and third time.
Returning students, for the most part, were treated like any other student, the report found, sometimes returning to the same classes that they had already failed once.
Flexible scheduling, self-paced study, and credit-recovery programs are options at the district’s two “continuation schools,” which is what California calls alternative schools specifically aimed at troubled students. But in San Bernardino, the wait to get into those schools can be as long as a year.
Also, students don’t become eligible for some of the accelerated credit-recovery programs at the continuation school, or for adult education programs, until they are 16 or older, according to the report.
The problem is that 60 percent of the students who come back dropped out in their freshman year, when they were typically 14 or 15, according to the study.
And neither students nor educators view district summer school programs, which are geared to helping students pass state exams, as a good way to earn back credit.
“There needs to be some way to retrieve credits quickly so students don’t fall so far behind, feel hopeless, and drop out,” Ms. Berliner said. One result of the lack of options: A third of re-enrollees leave school before earning even one class credit, the study found.
San Bernardino school officials, for their part, have long put a high priority on luring dropouts back to school. Two years ago, for instance, the district began a twice-a-year campaign to recover errant students, sending staff members to knock on the doors of as many as 700 who hadn’t been showing up for class. The district also offers a middle college high school, Internet-based courses, a fifth-year schooling option, and programs for pregnant and parenting students to keep them on track to graduate.
Built-In Barriers
But school officials and researchers said educators also get penalized for re-enrolling dropouts because of built-in disincentives in the state and federal school systems.
“Under No Child Left Behind, a teacher has to be focused on raising test scores,” said Arturo Delgado, the district superintendent, referring to the far-reaching federal law on K-12 education. “That teacher may not feel very rewarded when we show up and say, ‘Congratulations, here are five or six students who’ve been out the last six months,’ because that student might drag down test scores."
What’s more, under state accountability rules, districts “get dinged,” as Ms. Berliner puts it, for graduating students in five years, rather than the usual four, and dropouts who re-enroll and then drop out again are counted as two separate dropouts. “Then the school gets labeled a dropout factory,” said Mr. Delgado, “and people lose confidence in the system.”
The report also suggests that, because the returning students often have sporadic attendance and take longer to graduate, districts lose out under the state’s school finance system, which calculates per-pupil funding based on a district’s average daily attendance over the course of the previous school year.
Russell W. Rumberger, a professor of education policy at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the director of the California Dropout Research Project, said the WestEd study is among a growing number of much-needed longitudinal studies tracking actual dropout patterns among high school students rather than relying on statistical calculations.
He said all the studies underscore the importance of 9th grade as the make-or-break year, and of accumulating course failures as a key trigger in students’ decision to leave school. “The kids with less course failures are the kids who re-enroll,” he noted.
Vol. 28, Issue 01, Pages 12-13
Back to Top
September 18, 2008 |Receive RSS
Advertisement
Related Stories
“Tackling the Dropout Crisis Comprehensively,” June 5, 2008.
“Project Aims to Tackle Dropout Problem, California-Style,” April 30, 2008.
“Dropout Campaigns Envisioned for States, 50 Key City Districts,” April 9, 2008.
Advertisement
© 2008 Editorial Projects in Education
About Us | Subscriptions | Site Licenses | Recruitment Advertising | Display Advertising | Policies | Help/FAQ | Contact us EW Archive
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Poll Shows Illinois Latinos Support School-Choice Programs (from Extra News)
This trend among Latinos is also mirrored by the Black community in the U.S. What the article doesn't say is that most families of color that support school choice are also low-income and are served by substandard school systems, so of course they would be in favor of alternatives to their failing schools. This research also creates a slippery slope where right-leaning pro-choice advocates take this information and co-opt it for their own political interests. This logic takes us down the road towards privatization. What we should be doing is finding ways to learn from successful public schools and invest in infrastructure to ensure that successful programs, policies, and practices thrive for low-income children of color. --Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra News Posted on 01-04-2008
Poll Shows Illinois Latinos Support School-Choice Programs
(HISPANIC PR WIRE) — Late last month, the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options gathered with other national school choice allies to host a roundtable discussion on the results of a statewide poll school choice, which was released Tuesday. The poll showed that many Latino parents in Illinois support expanding educational options in the state.
“This poll proves that Hispanics in Illinois are not satisfied with the status quo,” said Rebeca Nieves-Huffman, president of Hispanic CREO. “They want the most opportunities to provide their children with the best education possible. These parents need more educational options for their children.”
The poll revealed that 52 percent of Hispanics were in favor of parents using public funds to send their children to private school. The poll also revealed that 53 percent of participants would be in favor of instituting corporate tax-credit scholarships, which would use corporate donations to provide students with scholarships to attend private school.
In 2006, only 54 percent of Hispanic students in Illinois graduated from high school, compared with 85 percent of white students, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, which tracks high school graduation rates across the country.
Hispanic CREO’s previous research has shown that Latino parents are widely in favor of school choice. A recent national poll conducted in collaboration with the Alliance for School Choice demonstrated that 75 percent of Latino parents would be interested in using vouchers to send their children to private school. The poll also revealed that 82 percent of Hispanic voters considered education to be a top priority for the 2008 presidential elections.
Hispanic CREO is the only organization in the United States committed to improving the educational outcomes of Latino children by empowering parents through school choice.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra News Posted on 01-04-2008
Poll Shows Illinois Latinos Support School-Choice Programs
(HISPANIC PR WIRE) — Late last month, the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options gathered with other national school choice allies to host a roundtable discussion on the results of a statewide poll school choice, which was released Tuesday. The poll showed that many Latino parents in Illinois support expanding educational options in the state.
“This poll proves that Hispanics in Illinois are not satisfied with the status quo,” said Rebeca Nieves-Huffman, president of Hispanic CREO. “They want the most opportunities to provide their children with the best education possible. These parents need more educational options for their children.”
The poll revealed that 52 percent of Hispanics were in favor of parents using public funds to send their children to private school. The poll also revealed that 53 percent of participants would be in favor of instituting corporate tax-credit scholarships, which would use corporate donations to provide students with scholarships to attend private school.
In 2006, only 54 percent of Hispanic students in Illinois graduated from high school, compared with 85 percent of white students, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education, which tracks high school graduation rates across the country.
Hispanic CREO’s previous research has shown that Latino parents are widely in favor of school choice. A recent national poll conducted in collaboration with the Alliance for School Choice demonstrated that 75 percent of Latino parents would be interested in using vouchers to send their children to private school. The poll also revealed that 82 percent of Hispanic voters considered education to be a top priority for the 2008 presidential elections.
Hispanic CREO is the only organization in the United States committed to improving the educational outcomes of Latino children by empowering parents through school choice.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Commentary: On Black Leadership, Black Politics, and the U.S. Immigration Debate
Below is a link (from the http://www.nassoc.orgwebsite) essay about Black Politics in the context of the immigration debate. The author analyzes some common arguments that typically position the Black and immigrant/Latina/o community against one another. -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
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http://www.nassoc.org/blog/soulsimmigration.pdf
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http://www.nassoc.org/blog/soulsimmigration.pdf
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Study on Hispanic issues to be released during DNC
Since all children, regardless of immigration status, have access to a free, public education in the U.S., the dropout issue mentioned in the article below is a reminder of the urgency facing the Latina/o community. A recent report by the Pew Hispanic Forum showed that Latina/o children make up 20% of all public school children and will surpass 50% by 2050. I also learned elsewhere that 50,000 Latinas/os turn 18 years-old each month. Thus, voting, other forms of political participation, access to health care, etc., can be studied in the context of the 50% dropout rate facing Latinas/os. In other words, how is a focus on dropout a signal towards other challenges facing the Latina/o community? -Dr. Louie F. Rodriguez
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study on Hispanic issues to be released during DNC
The Associated Press
Monday, August 25th 2008, 11:18 AM
DENVER — Groups hoping to bring attention to immigration, health care, education and other issues of importance to Hispanics are releasing a document calling on the next president to create a committee on those topics.
While the document doesn't offer groundbreaking information on the U.S.' fastest growing minority — education is a key issue because Hispanics have a high dropout rates, a high percentage lack health care, and immigration status is a big concern — its creators say it's still one of the most comprehensive recent studies on the issues.
The report, commissioned by Azteca America, a Spanish-language TV network, and Fundacion Azteca America, will be presented to the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain in September.
Luis J. Echarte, chairman of the boards of Azteca America and Fundacion Azteca, said the network and foundation commissioned the study because "the issue of immigration is very important, but it's not the only issue that concerns the Latino community."
Echarte said research shows the high school dropout rate among Hispanics is more than twice that of black students and more than three times greater than for white students.
One reason, he said, is that some students who are in the country illegally are afraid they will be caught and deported, while others have to work to support their families.
One solution would be to create a more bilingual and culturally relevant education system for Hispanics, meaning more Hispanic teachers who can be role models for students, Echarte said.
On health care, the document found that about six of 10 Hispanic families in the U.S. don't have health insurance, sometimes because they are in the country illegally.
The study's other major issue is political participation. Researchers found that although Hispanics make up about 15 percent of the U.S. population, about 9 percent of eligible Hispanic voters are registered to vote and only 6.5 percent do vote.
"So all these demonstrations that you see don't have a political impact," Echarte said.
Echarte said Azteca is trying to increase many Hispanics' political awareness. He noted that some Hispanics don't bother to become US citizens after obtaining permanent residency status, thinking their status work is done and doubting that their vote would count anyway.
Others are unaware they can have dual citizenship and don't have to rescind citizenship from their native country if they became naturalized in the U.S.
"Latinos have so much to offer and so much potential, but they keep facing these consistent barriers," said Maria del Carmen Salazar, an assistant professor at the University of Denver Morgridge College of Education and one of the study's authors.
Salazar and faculty at DU's Center for Community Engagement and Scholarship used information from the U.S. Census and national research documents by the Pew Hispanic Center and other institutions to compile the report.
Research topics were selected by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, the National Council of La Raza, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and other groups.
Titled "The State of Latinos 2008: Defining an Agenda for the Future," the document calls for the creation a presidential advisory commission to propose solutions to the most pressing issues affecting Hispanics in the U.S.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study on Hispanic issues to be released during DNC
The Associated Press
Monday, August 25th 2008, 11:18 AM
DENVER — Groups hoping to bring attention to immigration, health care, education and other issues of importance to Hispanics are releasing a document calling on the next president to create a committee on those topics.
While the document doesn't offer groundbreaking information on the U.S.' fastest growing minority — education is a key issue because Hispanics have a high dropout rates, a high percentage lack health care, and immigration status is a big concern — its creators say it's still one of the most comprehensive recent studies on the issues.
The report, commissioned by Azteca America, a Spanish-language TV network, and Fundacion Azteca America, will be presented to the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain in September.
Luis J. Echarte, chairman of the boards of Azteca America and Fundacion Azteca, said the network and foundation commissioned the study because "the issue of immigration is very important, but it's not the only issue that concerns the Latino community."
Echarte said research shows the high school dropout rate among Hispanics is more than twice that of black students and more than three times greater than for white students.
One reason, he said, is that some students who are in the country illegally are afraid they will be caught and deported, while others have to work to support their families.
One solution would be to create a more bilingual and culturally relevant education system for Hispanics, meaning more Hispanic teachers who can be role models for students, Echarte said.
On health care, the document found that about six of 10 Hispanic families in the U.S. don't have health insurance, sometimes because they are in the country illegally.
The study's other major issue is political participation. Researchers found that although Hispanics make up about 15 percent of the U.S. population, about 9 percent of eligible Hispanic voters are registered to vote and only 6.5 percent do vote.
"So all these demonstrations that you see don't have a political impact," Echarte said.
Echarte said Azteca is trying to increase many Hispanics' political awareness. He noted that some Hispanics don't bother to become US citizens after obtaining permanent residency status, thinking their status work is done and doubting that their vote would count anyway.
Others are unaware they can have dual citizenship and don't have to rescind citizenship from their native country if they became naturalized in the U.S.
"Latinos have so much to offer and so much potential, but they keep facing these consistent barriers," said Maria del Carmen Salazar, an assistant professor at the University of Denver Morgridge College of Education and one of the study's authors.
Salazar and faculty at DU's Center for Community Engagement and Scholarship used information from the U.S. Census and national research documents by the Pew Hispanic Center and other institutions to compile the report.
Research topics were selected by the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, the National Council of La Raza, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and other groups.
Titled "The State of Latinos 2008: Defining an Agenda for the Future," the document calls for the creation a presidential advisory commission to propose solutions to the most pressing issues affecting Hispanics in the U.S.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Other states look to California on how to educate growing Latino population
Other states look to California on how to educate growing Latino population
SHARON NOGUCHI - MediaNews
Article Launched: 08/27/2008 01:32:18 AM PDT
Latinos make up nearly half of California's K-12 public school students, and their numbers are surging across the country, underscoring a growing challenge for educators who are looking to the Golden State for ways to adapt to the changing face of America's classrooms.
Almost one in three of the country's Latino students go to school in California. But the numbers, revealed Tuesday in one of the first comprehensive looks at Latinos in public schools, show Latinos now make up the largest minority student group in 22 states.
Since 1990, the number of Latino school-age children nationwide grew 94 percent and now is projected to swell 166 percent through 2050. By contrast, whites, blacks, Asians and other non-Hispanics in K-12 edged up just 9 percent in the same 16 years, and will slow to 4 percent growth through 2050, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
The changing dynamics are playing out in California, where educators are struggling to address an academic achievement gap between Latinos and blacks and their higher-performing Asian and white peers.
In Santa Cruz County, where Latinos make up 48 percent of 38,000 total public school students, Superintendent Michael Watkins of the County Office of Education said the challenges of addressing the needs of English learners is nothing new.
"In this county, we've been immersed in that reality for a number of years now," he said. "We have ongoing ways to refine our efforts in ensuring that the equity is there for all students."
At the Two-Way Immersion Program at DeLaveaga Elementary in Santa Cruz, teachers offer instruction in both Spanish and English. Migrant Head Start, run by the county office, provides childcare and education for more than 700 children of agricultural workers.
The numbers of Latinos nationally who identified themselves as fluent in English were surprising. While 70 percent of Latino students speak a language other than English at home, 82 percent speak English fluently, according to the Pew report.
But the low education level of Latino parents is putting a greater burden on schools to guide students toward college and career tracks, experts say.
Without parents who understand the school system, "they are at a startling disadvantage," said Richard Fry, one of the authors of the Pew study. At Harbor High in Santa Cruz, parents can take a course in Spanish designed to help them navigate their children's preparation for college. But the biggest challenge for schools is still educating immigrant students, especially those who start school at an older age. Students who don't become fluent in English are more likely to drop out.
Sentinel staff writer J.M. Brown contributed to this report.
SHARON NOGUCHI - MediaNews
Article Launched: 08/27/2008 01:32:18 AM PDT
Latinos make up nearly half of California's K-12 public school students, and their numbers are surging across the country, underscoring a growing challenge for educators who are looking to the Golden State for ways to adapt to the changing face of America's classrooms.
Almost one in three of the country's Latino students go to school in California. But the numbers, revealed Tuesday in one of the first comprehensive looks at Latinos in public schools, show Latinos now make up the largest minority student group in 22 states.
Since 1990, the number of Latino school-age children nationwide grew 94 percent and now is projected to swell 166 percent through 2050. By contrast, whites, blacks, Asians and other non-Hispanics in K-12 edged up just 9 percent in the same 16 years, and will slow to 4 percent growth through 2050, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.
The changing dynamics are playing out in California, where educators are struggling to address an academic achievement gap between Latinos and blacks and their higher-performing Asian and white peers.
In Santa Cruz County, where Latinos make up 48 percent of 38,000 total public school students, Superintendent Michael Watkins of the County Office of Education said the challenges of addressing the needs of English learners is nothing new.
"In this county, we've been immersed in that reality for a number of years now," he said. "We have ongoing ways to refine our efforts in ensuring that the equity is there for all students."
At the Two-Way Immersion Program at DeLaveaga Elementary in Santa Cruz, teachers offer instruction in both Spanish and English. Migrant Head Start, run by the county office, provides childcare and education for more than 700 children of agricultural workers.
The numbers of Latinos nationally who identified themselves as fluent in English were surprising. While 70 percent of Latino students speak a language other than English at home, 82 percent speak English fluently, according to the Pew report.
But the low education level of Latino parents is putting a greater burden on schools to guide students toward college and career tracks, experts say.
Without parents who understand the school system, "they are at a startling disadvantage," said Richard Fry, one of the authors of the Pew study. At Harbor High in Santa Cruz, parents can take a course in Spanish designed to help them navigate their children's preparation for college. But the biggest challenge for schools is still educating immigrant students, especially those who start school at an older age. Students who don't become fluent in English are more likely to drop out.
Sentinel staff writer J.M. Brown contributed to this report.
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