Why LEALES? Background
In 2012 for the first time in history the college enrollment for Latinos surpassed that of whites among 18 to 24 year olds. (Krogstad & Fry, 2014) However, first-year retention rates reveal reasons for concern; in 1999 the retention rate for Latino/a students from the first to second year was a dismal 75.7%. (Seidman, 2005) However, despite these gains there is still reason for concern; California, the state with the largest Latino population, only 16% of Latinos ages 25 and up hold an associate or bachelor’s degree; this compared to 38% of all Californians the same age. (Lilley, 2014) That number is even lower for Californian Latino/as earning a bachelor degree, 12%. (Quinton, 2015) Furthermore, in California only 42%
…show more content…
The summer start program would offer the students an opportunity to become acquainted with the campus, LEALES staff, as well as other LEALES participants prior to the commencement of the fall quarter. This would allow for participants to meet one another, form bonds, and friendships with other participants as well as becoming acquitted with the LEALES staff. Additionally, the one week LEALES summer start program would offer participants an opportunity to learn more about UCI, the many educational opportunities, organizations, services, resources, and give them access to academic counselors. In order to make the program more accessible to potential participants and increase the number of participants that attend the LEALES summer start program, there will be a waiver for those with financial need. Additionally, the program will have two sessions separate sessions; one in early summer and another later in the summer to accommodate for scheduling conflicts that students may have. The summer start program is especially advantages to LEALES members given that as first-generation students they are unfamiliar with the resources that are available on college campuses. According, to Baker & Robnett (2012) students who utilize campus resources, faculty, and student groups are less likely to leave college. Even prior to their official enrollment in the LEALES program, students are …show more content…
For that reason, participation in the LEALES summer start program will not be mandatory but is strongly suggested. However, there are certain requirements that will be mandatory for all LEALES members in the year-long program. LEALES members must meet these requirements in order to receive their $500 quarterly scholarship. The scholarship not only acts as an incentive for their continued participation in the program, but it also helps alleviate some of the financial responsibility that leads many Latinos to seek work outside of school. According to Saenz and Ponjuan (2009) it is this responsibility that leads many Latinos to leave school early, or work more hours than their counterparts in order to help support themselves. (Baker & Robnett,
Poverty among the Latino community has converted into an endemic predicament in the development of children living in the United States. The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) indicated that poverty is uppermost with children making up 21.6% living below the poverty line in comparison to young adults (19.0%) and elders (18.1%). The California Poverty Measure (CPM) by PPIC analysis concluded that 7.5 millions of Californians lacked resources and made an income of about $30,000 a year. That is just above the poverty line which is to earn $24,000 a year. Although Latinos are constantly operational in the work field, they have a higher scarcity rate than any other ethnic group due to their association with lower education and deficiency of income (PPIC, 2017). In addition, according to The Pew Research Center, many Latino families are experiencing economic hardship as a result of moribund financial wealth, increased mortality rates, and higher birth rates among the Latino immigrant population (Lopez, Velasco, 2011). Poverty has produced several obstacles to Latino children in regards to their shifting family dynamics, learning, and development, but there are wide-ranging solutions that aid children of limited income households to prosper. This essay will scrutinize and discuss the assorted effects of poverty for Latino children living in the United States in the context of family dynamics, education, and development, as well as propose a solution to
Undocumented students are becoming a growing outrage in the United States. It has been a constant battle amongst the students, the schools, and the Government. According to collegeboard.com, statistics shows that 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools each year (collegeboard.com).After graduating high school they face legal and financial barriers to higher education. This paper will address the importance of this growing outrage and discuss the following that corresponds to it.
Microaggressions are deeply rooted in society, reinforced by dialogue heard on television shows that subtly joke about real life situations. Modern day Latinos, however, are defying these stereotypes by earning a college degree and obtaining high-level positions in all
Buenrostro emphasized the idea of Latino children being the majority ethnicity population attending K-12th California public schools. Documenting his research process Buenrostro demonstrated many statistics on school enrollment and challenging academic performance that Latino students from grades K-6th are facing. Buenrostro ultimately concludes that the results provided in this factsheet will help school districts and board members take action and come up with an idea on what can be improved in order to help these particular students succeed and obtain necessary resources. Ultimately, this fact sheet represents an important contribution to my research topic because it addresses numerous ideas about the education system in Latino students.
Although the subject of education, study behavior, has been viewed as a personal matter, we believe race and gender played a role in it. We interviewed a Senior Latino student named Irving Alvisurez. Alvisurez is a first generation college student that came from Los Angeles, California. When he first came to UCSB, he lived in FT and there was only four Hispanics on his whole floor, this gave him more opportunity to expose to foreign cultures and experiencing culture shock. He first majored in computer science and later changed to Chicano studies. As a first generation Latino, he felt more pressure from family rather than social pressures. His statement was supported by the arguments within his family based on his change of majors multiple times,
Earning a college degree has long been considered—one of the major keys in achieving the American Dream. However, contrary to popular belief, that theory has been proven invalid. According to a recent study from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRBOSL), “Education does not help black and Hispanic college graduates protect their wealth the same way that it does for their white and Asian counterparts.”
Asian Americans have had a 50% increase in university enrollment since 1991 and have the highest number of college graduates with bachelor’s degrees among minority groups with
By the droves, these students, as a result of teacher expectations, are disengaging from their own education to carry out the self-fulfilling prophecy of mediocrity. The fact that 83% of educators are White, middle class women creates another layer of disconnect for Latino students who are unable to positively identify with successful role models who share their background (Gandara, 2000). Unable to see themselves reflected in the degree-earning demographics and having few encounters with educators who are adequately trained to understand their plight, Latino youth are simply rendered impotent to affect change, thus completing their assent into hopelessness.
Summer Early Entry was created to help students with developmental course requirements get a jump start on their academic career. Incoming freshman invited to attend the program will have the opportunity to choose from four classes and will complete up to seven credits during the five-week program.
This statistic is important because it shows how much Chicano students have struggled in school at every grade level. Compare these numbers with the white community, “84 graduate from high school, 26 graduate with a bachelor 's degree and 10 earn a professional degree...Chicanas and Chicanos, have the lowest educational attainment of any group” there is great cause for concern (Marquez). These realities have a variety of causes as these students “usually attend racially segregated, overcrowded schools” and with “poorly maintained facilities, students are often enrolled in classes where undertrained, under credentialed faculty attempt to teach with minimal resources” many as "tracked into remedial or vocational program” (Marquez). David Scott ran data in academic performances by ethnic-studies students and states that Chicano students do better in school when having these programs available because they are a "substantial boost" for those poorest students (Scott 2012). If they don’t have these programs the result then is that “they drop out, or are pushed, out of the educational pipeline in higher numbers than any other group” (Marquez). While enrolled, “students often describe graduate school as a place where they feel invisible” as most programs “tend to be racially exclusive with predominately white students, faculty and curricula that omit Chicano histories and perspectives” (Marquez). For this reason, it is suggested by Scott for imperative
Zarate shows us the reality that minorities face when wanting AP courses; “It appears that schools with high minority student concentrations did not increase their AP course offerings to mirror similar-sized schools’ AP offerings” (Zarate,15). Even within these students who are under the college pathway, the limited college exam preparations, AP and honors classes that they receive are not enough to make them competitive when wanting admissions to higher education. These students who are under the college pathway are usually identified as “gifted” or talented students which is only around ten percent of the total student population. For the rest of the students who have the same ability to be taking these classes if their parents, teachers, counselors or themselves do not make an effort for the students to experience these classes they will always be behind and not be in the college pathway as the other students. “Their history, which involves educational tracking and sub-standard schools, has affected Latinos’ entry into higher education. Rather than accept the prevailing myths that Latinos and other students of color come from families that do not value higher education, this insists that we recognize how they have traditionally been tracked by ineffective schools into non-college-bound majors, which has resulted in their disproportionate attendance”
In a 2004 journal by Susan Auerbach, the concept of parental influence and support for Latina/o students is addressed. Auerbach shares that, “Research suggests the pivotal role of parents in promoting students’ college going” (Auerbach, p.127). It is no mystery that parents have great influence over their children, and when a parent is uneducated on how to best advise their child regarding higher education, they are unable to use this influence to encourage attendance. Auerbach states, “Families without a tradition of college going do not have sufficient knowledge to help their children navigate pathways to college” (Auerbach, p.140). According to the Latino Eligibility Study, the single most important barrier to college access for Latino students in California is lack of active knowledge of the steps needed to go to college (Gandara, 1998,2002). Parents of first generation students need tools that can aid in the child’s success and serve as a means of knowledge on what can be a challenging and confusing process. Another issue tied to parent involvement and understanding is that, “Poor and working class Latino families come to college preparation relatively late in students’ careers, with fewer resources and more obstacles” (Auerbach, p.136). The journal supports the idea that Latino/a parents are in need of early access to college preparation education in order to be able to challenge and support their
Latino/a first generation college students are also stressed due to financial anxiety. Since, Latino/a first-generation college students come from predominately low socioeconomic status families that never thought about saving money for college, the stress about how to pay for college and tuition arises. Since these students are the first from their family to attend college, academic and financial expectations are increased with the now need to balance school and work in order to pay for their education and basic life expenses. Most low income families will benefit from the FAFSA and government grants; however, if the lack of necessary resources as mentioned above is not present. The guidance of how to fill of the FASA was mostly likely not there.
A. Hook “The most urgent problem for the American education system has a Latino face.” (Gándara)
I agree that Latinos and African American tend to be in high poverty schools throughout the country. This is a social problem that is part of our society that is limiting the potential of these two minority groups to suceed in life. The federal government provides supports to low income families such as food stamps, free or reduced lunches, supplemental income, etc. By doing this it is leveling the field to support the minorities groups enabling them to move foward. I am Latino and I feel that even though we have segragation in our school system in our country I truly belief that it is up to the individual to overcome this obstacle by been persistent, dedicated, and opstimic to pursue higher education obtaining a college degree.