Education in the Latin American Community

1
Education in the Latin American Community
2
Stats

• Latinos are the second largest minority in the
  States
• As of 2005, Hispanics make up 14.5 of the total
  population
• Almost 42 million

3
some comparisons

• according to the u.s. census bureau
• Black population of 25 years and over has 22.5
  of people with some college, no degree
• White population of 25 years and over has 21.5
  of people with some college, no degree
• Hispanic/Latino population of 25 years and over
  has only 15.6 of people with some college, no
  degree

4
Latino information

• Less likely to take SATs
• Those who do score lower on average.
• Latinas outnumber Latinos taking the SATs and
  have the largest gender gap.
• Teachers and counselors often assume Latinos are
  in gangs because they speak Spanish, seem
  foreign, and act differently.

5
Higher Education

• At a disadvantage in their aspirations and
  preparations to complete postsecondary education.
  
• Compared to other ethnic groups and racial groups
  Latino students are more likely to be from low
  income families.
• Latino students receive smaller packages on
  average than any other ethnic groups.

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Higher education cont

• Most universities care about having high-median
  SAT scores, students who can pay their own way,
  and diversity as measured by race rather than
  class.
• Latino students receive small aid packages
  because they attend less expensive institutions.

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Factors causing this

• Reasons Latinos dont go to college
• Circumstance
• Must help family
• Opportunity
• No funds (or so they think)
• Possible criminal record
• Machismo
• No English skills
• Social perspective

8
Helping out the family

• Hispanics help out their families in other
  countries financially
• They send a lot of their money to their family.
• Even though it makes their lives not so great, a
  lot of times its better than it was in their own
  country.

9
Opportunity

• They sometimes think that opportunities for them
  to go to college are closed for them because of
  their socioeconomic status or citizenship status
• A lot of times they really cant go because they
  are in a situation where they have to help out
  their immediate family

10
Financing College

• Many dont really know about financial aid or how
  to apply.
• They think that they cant afford it
• They dont have the proper information to fill
  out a financial aid form therefore not being able
  to receive it.
• Sometimes even government financial aid that they
  receive is not enough.

11
Criminal past

• Financial aid does not give money to people
  convicted of any drug possession.
• Mistakes from past
• Peer pressure as a teen

12
Cultural Perspectives

• Sometimes they just think that theyre here to
  work because thats how they grew up.
• Hard work is very valued in most Latino culture
  and they think they can get by just fine without
  school.

13
Machismo

• Providers for the family especially if they have
  a kid during or after high school
• Cant provide if theyre in school.
• They feel thats the way it has to be
• They feel thats the way it has to be, the man
  has to work. Women on the other hand have more
  opportunities to go to college than men.

14
Communication

• They sometimes cant communicate well enough in
  English to make it in college level courses.

15
Socioeconomic status

• Although 1 in 10 students is Latino they comprise
  over 1 in 5 poor children in the United States.
• Theyre also 3 times more likely to be poor than
  are non-Latino Whites
• Increases in poverty among Latino children
  exceeded those of African Americans during the
  80s
• They may be helping relatives in homeland out
  with money therefore having less for themselves.

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• Latinos live in cities and parts with lower
  economic status.
• Peers
• Parents working, not able to take care of the
  kids, therefore perhaps kids grow up earlier than
  needed.
• Peer pressure ends up messing up their lives.

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Lack of learning due to mobility issues

• Hispanic families often move throughout their
  lives from place to place finding the right spot.
• It messes up kids learning patterns and gives
  them social issues (making new friends) causing
  them too much frustration, which in turn causes
  them to do poorer in school.

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Programs that help

• Springdale, Arkansas
• Created a program to help Hispanic students think
  about going to college in middle school
• First middle school to launch PALMS, or
  Postsecondary Access for Latino Middle-grade
  Students
• Lets Hispanic parents know that college is an
  option for their child

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Programs that help

• Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
• Formed coalition of grade-school teachers,
  politicians and university professors
• The education team headed by Teresa Donate
  focuses on bringing in more Hispanic teachers and
  nurses
• Possibility of recruiting Puerto Ricans for
  special programs in teaching and nursing within
  the school district

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Programs that help

• Chicago, IL
• Paying For College bus tour
• Over 50 communities
• 3rd year of educating Latino families on the
  option of college
• Access to scholarships, grants and financial aid
  in English and Spanish
• College counseling in the tour vehicle
• Reached over 65,000 students and parents
• MTV Tr3s Voces