Latino strides in education

A new report from Child Trends indicates Hispanic children are gaining ground in education, but challenges remain in terms of high rates of poverty, troubling health indicators, and high rates of teen childbearing among the country's 17.5 million Hispanic youth. The overall number of high school dropouts has declined in recent years, but among Latinos the drop is substantial -- from 29 percent in 1999 to 13 percent in 2012. The percentage of Latino 8th graders achieving at or above "proficient" in math has increased, from 8 percent in 2000 to 21 percent in 2014. Latinos are now the largest racial/ethnic minority group on college campuses, though progress has not been as steady in regard to college completion. Latino preschoolers lag behind white and black children in knowing their ABCs and numbers, and being able to write their names or read, but have higher levels of social-emotional skills such as self-control and cooperation. Latino children are less likely than white and black to participate in center-based early care and education, but their participation has increased by a third since 2007. Fifty-two percent of Latino children were in early care programs in 2012, compared to 63 percent of white children and 68 percent of black children. The report offers a comprehensive portrait of Hispanic children in terms of demographics, economics, family, education, health, and media use.More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

Published by LEAP

Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.