.jpg)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
February 19, 2015 Camila Gallardo
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259
New brief cites improvements in educational achievement and persistent disparities among Latinos
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As Congress continues to debate reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), NCLR (National Council of La Raza) today released Latinos in New Spaces: Emerging Trends and Implications for Federal Education Policy, a statistical brief providing insight into the state of Latino education. Latinos represent the fastest-growing segment of the nation’s student body population; by 2023 they will represent almost 30 percent of all students enrolled in U.S. schools.
Among the gains cited in the brief are significantly lower dropout rates and increased high school completion. A steady decline in the Latino dropout rate over the last two decades has resulted in an all-time low of 12.7 percent among 16- to 24-year-olds—less than half the 1993 rate of 27 percent. In 2012, Latino students had a high school completion rate of 73 percent, up from 61 percent in 1993. Between 2000 and 2013, the percentage of eighth-grade Hispanic students who achieved or surpassed proficiency levels in mathematics more than doubled. College attendance has also reached a record high: Hispanics enrolled in postsecondary education increased from 13.4 percent in 1972 to 37.5 percent in 2012.
“Latino children have made important strides in our schools, and their educational achievement is attributed to their own hard work, along with rising academic expectations and standards by school districts, administrators, teachers and parents. The data show why the civil rights community has supported increased accountability and standards-based education reforms for the last two decades,” said Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation, NCLR.
These gains represent significant improvements and are to be commended; however, more improvements are needed if Latino students are to reach parity with their peers. Hispanic students still lag behind their White counterparts in reading proficiency, with only 22 percent of Latinos scoring at or above proficiency, compared to 46 percent of Whites. Latino children are also less likely to be enrolled in preschool; in fact, only 57.6 percent of Latino three- to five-year-olds were enrolled in school, compared to 66.7 percent of Whites and 65.8 percent of Blacks. Early childhood education is critical to ensuring that students don’t begin kindergarten lagging in learning benchmarks.
“The gains that Latino schoolchildren have made are impressive, and it’s important that we continue to build on this success. That is why we must ensure that Congress passes a robust ESEA that maintains a commitment to equity in our schools and vital civil rights protections. A decade ago, national education policy put a spotlight on Latinos and English language learners, which led to increased accountability and standards that have produced results. Reforms should make our schools better and ensure that all children have an equal chance at getting a good education,” said Rodriguez.
Measuring progress and achievement is essential. Breaking down data by groups and reporting it broadly has already made a marked impact on student achievement. Thus, ESEA reauthorization must maintain the critical provisions of accountability and data transparency. Continued access to college- and career-ready standards, effective teachers, adequate funding of programs such as Head Start, GEAR UP and TRIO and effective implementation of supports are likewise necessary. Such proactive, targeted attention and investments provide Latino students with opportunities and the preparation to succeed in education and beyond.
“Today’s Hispanic students represent 20 percent of America’s future labor force, and their educational success is tied to the nation’s future economic growth and prosperity. Policymakers and advocates must focus attention on raising academic achievement and improved learning for English language learner and minority children in schools. Our future depends on it,” concluded Rodriguez.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
###