Hispanic…His – Panic…A Nation’s Panic? September 16, 2008
Posted by ijduran in : Uncategorized , trackbackI was in D.C. last week where I had the privilege of attending the “Summit on Education Reform and Hispanic Education Attainment.” The purpose of the summit was to increase awareness and share information focusing on the “promising” practices being implemented nationwide and the positive outcomes they are producing for Hispanic students. The speakers represented a wide-cross section of key stakeholders from across the nation. Speakers were as broad as the secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings to the superintendent of schools from Hidaligo Independent School District in Texas. From policy creator to practitioner the speakers provided illuminating information I believe we can learn from here in APS.
So why is the discussion so important to the White House and our nation? It is simply a matter of numbers, both from a census standpoint and definitely from an economic standpoint. In 2005-2006 there were 50 million students in our schools. 10 million of them were Hispanic. In 2023, Hispanics will become the majority minority. Maybe they will stop being referred to as the minority by then! However, by 2050, if trends continue, the Hispanic population will reach 39% and they will be the largest low income and limited English proficient group in the U.S. Now, that is a reason to panic and to wonder if we are doing everything we can today to stop that future trend.
A major focus of discussion in the morning was centered on dropout rates. One of the goals of the White House is to determine a consistent formula for all states to measure their dropout numbers as each state has a different way of reporting this information. The rates can vary depending on how a state puts the data together. When cohort groups are followed, the dropout rate is higher when compared to looking at calculations. When looking at cohort data the rate for Hispanic dropouts is as high as 40% in comparison to other calculations which had it as low as 22%. 40% is much more accurate.
If dropout rates continue to be this high the impact on the U.S. economy is dire. However, Charles Hiteshew, from America’s Promise Alliance put out some data that I believe is a critical reason to stop this trend. Take a look at this information:
- 2/3rds of new jobs will require some post secondary education.
- 2 years of post secondary education will be required for a middle class lifestyle
- A one percent increase in graduation rates would yield 1.8 billion dollars in saved social expenses (welfare, health, criminal justice)
- If Hispanic graduation rates increased to be the same as whites by 2020 personal income levels would be 310 billion dollars
If those are not reasons to examine our practices I am not sure what it will take to make us ensure we are doing everything possible to make a difference for all of our students who are not making it through our institutions of learning.
What stood out for me in this summit were the number of successful programs that are making a difference for Hispanic students and families. Families and parental education were key aspects of every successful program. In fact, Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, said it was the “bedrock” of NCLB. The most inspiring speaker of the day goes to Eduardo Cancino, Superintendent of Hidalgo Independent Schools in Texas. I will post his power point once it is on the web as I believe we can learn a lot from what his high schools are doing in the area of STEM Education. I will close this blog by highlighting some key points made my Eduardo and what his district is doing to stop the Panic and to make a difference for Hispanic students:
- No Child Left Behind should really be called, “Every Child Prepared for College and Beyond”
- Every district employee is part of the team
- In a three day orientation and training program, ALL new teachers spend part of one day touring the district to fully understand where students live and to gain background on the lives of students
- Every student in their high school will take college courses during their course of studies. Some students get bussed to some of the four year institutions for part of their education and they will receive college credit.
- Incoming 9th grade students take assessments that measure where they are to determine what course of studies they need to enroll it to either catch up or to begin their college course work. They look at every student as being individual and unique and the school’s role is to meet them where they are in their learning.
- Counselors are organized by career pathways so that they fully understand what is required for a specific career and the appropriate course of study
- Students can earn any type of post secondary degree as they realize that 4 year college degrees are not for everyone
- Parents are involved and engaged from the very beginning of school. They offer classes for parents in ESL, GED, and college preparation. Some parents have actually started attending college with their students.
Other inspiring programs that can be found via the web include:
- El Valor. A pre-kinder program that is working to meet the education needs of ELLs and children with disabilities in Chicago. They use a dual language approach to build upon the strength that students bring recognizing that all learning from the time of birth to the age they enter school is based on language.
- Parent Institute for Quality Education. This is a national program that trains and engages parents to be active partners in their children’s education.
- Department of Education Web sites:
- www.yesican.gov – General website for NCLB information
- www.mymoney.gov – Curriculum on financial literacy
- www.edu.gov/mathpanel - Key findings from research on best practices in math
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