- School Reform
- Community/Family Involvement
- Diverse Populations
- Resources
- Prof. Development Opportunities
DIVERSE POPULATIONS
Starting on September 1, 2006, the national non-profit 501.c.3 organization Latino Scholastic Achievement Corporation has launched an educational web casting program series which offers high school/college students and families, with Internet access, practical information on preparing to excel academically, gain entry to college and increasing the financial aid package. Students, parents, classrooms and organizations can access free and on-demand live and recorded video and audio programming. Programs in English and Spanish will be offered through its web site at http://www.LatinoGraduate.net
The LatinoGraduate.net web casting series will inform, counsel, empower and educate the viewing public on the process of academic achievement, the college application process, obtaining financial aid, the importance of furthering one's education and to become familiar with a wide range of professional career opportunities. Professionals will be recorded and provided with the opportunity to share their expertise.
Universities, viable educational, corporate/community leaders and organizations, throughout the country, will be invited to participate in the Latino Scholastic Achievement Corporation broadband series.
The Latino Scholastic Achievement Corporation, which started in 1992 thanks to the support of ABC7 in Los Angeles, designed the web casting site. A series of educational programming will be offered. Themes will include the importance of developing leadership skills, obtaining an advanced educational degree, career opportunities in their respective field, insights on networking and the challenges and benefits of being a decision-maker. Guests on the shows will share their life and professional experiences in order to highlight the steps that can be taken to excel and succeed as a student and professional.
"It is our primary goal to reverse the rising number of high school and college student drop-outs throughout the nation amongst underprivileged students. We will offer programming that will help them make their dream of becoming college graduates and dedicated community leaders a reality," states Armando F. Sánchez, the Founder and Executive Director of this broadband program. He adds "This national and international media outreach was made possible because of the support of socially oriented corporations, community leaders and college/universities throughout the nation." Programs will highlight outstanding role models and programs that should receive in-depth media exposure (i.e., Ambassador James Sweeney, New Mexico Governor Jerry Apodaca, Nobel laureates Dr. Mario Molina and Rigoberta Menchu Tum, scientist from Sandia and Los Alamos Laboratories, Nestlé Very Best In Youth program and many others).
A portion of the video and audio web cast programs will be offered in English and Spanish.
The Founding Sponsor for the LatinoGraduate.net web casting program system is The Walt Disney Company and sponsors are La Agencia de Orci & Asociados, Batanga.com and Focus Multimedia.
Contact information: Armando F. Sánchez, Founder and Executive Director, (310) 600.4359 LSACNational@hotmail.com
National Education Association C.A.R.E. Strategies for Closing the Achievement Gaps
A new guide from the National Education Association provides a multi-themed approach to closing the achievement gaps -- focusing on Culture, Abilities, Resilience, and Effort (C.A.R.E.).
How Latino Students Pay For College: Patterns of Financial Aid In 2003-04
This report released by Excelencia in Education and the Institute for Higher Education Policy, examines the most recent data available on how Latino undergraduates participate in financial aid programs. The report outlines a series of recommendations to improve Latino success, including recommendations for federal and state government, institutions, and the K-12 community.
Pathways to the Bachelor's Degree for Latino Students
The LUMINA Foundation has released the final installment of their three part series on Latino students & the educational pipeline. Titled "Pathways to the Bachelor's Degree for Latino Students", the report finds experiences and actions that can be traced back to middle-school to be defining in equalizing the chances of degree completion between Whites and Latinos.
The report provides a series of recommendations for middle schools, high schools, and postsecondary institutions in changing the tide of opportunity for Latino youth, such as increasing communication to students and families about postsecondary options, better utilizing middle and high school guidance counselors, and encouraging and supporting the successful attainment of mathematics education, such as Algebra II by the 9th grade.
All three reports are available for free download on LUMINA's web site (http://www.luminafoundation.org/)
College Knowledge: What Latino Parents Need to Know and Why They Don't Know It (
PDF )
This study by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute focuses on how, and to what extent, Latino parents acquire information on college. The study found that college knowledge was low among the Latino parents surveyed, and considers reasons for the knowledge deficit, its implications, and recommendations for correcting it.
The aim of this study was to determine whether student, parent, and peer engagement factors that contributed to at-risk students' success in graduating from high school continued to be important in making the transition from high school to postsecondary education. Key findings:
- Parent and peer engagement indicators were especially strong influences on postsecondary enrollment.
- Students who reposted that most or all of their high school friends has plans for enrolling in a 4-year college were far more likely to enroll in a 4-year college themselves.
- Participating in college preparation activities increased the odds of enrolling in postsecondary education (i.e. gathering financial aid information).
With Diploma in Hand: Hispanic High School Seniors Talk About Their Future - While almost all parents today place great value on higher education, Hispanic parents are even more likely to endorse its importance. However, a completely different picture emerges when we look at college participation rates. A recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center shows that while many Hispanic high school graduates eventually enroll in some form of college, most Hispanic high school graduates make choices that are less likely to lead to the completion of a bachelor's degree. This reports explores possible reasons for this discrepancy between intentions and reality in the Hispanic community.