It's widely accepted that parental involvement plays a powerful role in children's achievement. That's why it's encouraging to learn about Abriendo Puertas (Opening Doors) because Hispanic students across the country trail black and white students in reading and math, and their numbers are growing. ("Hispanics Get Help Giving Their Kids a Boost," The Wall Street Journal, Mar. 6). In California, Texas and New Mexico, for example, they already constitute more than half of all students enrolled.

There are several reasons for the disparity, including parents' limited English, lack of formal education and poverty. When I was teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the number of Hispanic students in my high school soared. My English classes became disproportionately filled with these students. They were eager to learn, but they often needed additional help. Although I'm bilingual, I was frustrated trying to schedule parental conferences because so many Hispanic parents worked two jobs. Phone calls late in the evening were better than nothing at all, but they rarely sufficed.

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