With the White House expected to decide shortly on the fate of
the DACA program, questions loom about future access to U.S.
education by undocumented immigrants. And some education leaders
are speaking out this week in favor of protecting the program.
New U.S. Census data show a dramatic increase in the number of Hispanics attending school, reaching nearly 18 million in 2016. The figure — which covers education at all levels — is double the total 20 years earlier.
“Hispanic students now make up 22.7 percent of all people enrolled in school,” said Kurt Bauman, the chief of Census Bureau’s Education and Social Stratification Branch, in a statement.
As part of an effort to boost the number of Latinos graduating
with degrees in the STEM fields — science, technology,
engineering and math — four universities will use a new federal
grant to bring together experts closest to the issue to examine
the challenges and brainstorm successful strategies.
The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of
California at Irvine, the University of Arizona, the University
of Houston and Nova Southeastern University in Florida each
$100,000 to host the conferences.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — or DACA —
continues to make headlines, with several bills introduced in
Congress this month aimed at protecting undocumented young
immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and providing
them with a path to citizenship.
DACA provides recipients access to higher education, putting
educators on the front lines of the debate over undocumented
youth. Many colleges and universities have created special
websites or designated personnel to help DACA students navigate
college and feel safe on campus.
Concern is mounting about the relative lack of racial and ethnic
diversity in the teaching force – whether in K-12 or higher
education.
About 82 percent of U.S. public school teachers at the K-12 level
are white and while 25 percent of public school students, or 1 in
4, is Hispanic, according to the most recent figures available
from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Arizona State University, in an effort to break new ground around
the engagement of Latinos in the political process, has created a
new chair on the topic and hired a top political scientist,
Rodney Hero, to fill the post.
The new chair is just the latest move by ASU, which serves nearly
100,000 students, to enhance its Hispanic programs as its Latino
enrollment has increased (to about 20 percent).
School finance. A bilingual ed townhall meeting.
Christian-oriented universities recruiting Hispanic students.
Here’s a wrap-up of education stories published the week of July
3-9 involving or affecting Latino students.
The ongoing issues Latino students face in community colleges was
the focus of a town hall meeting held earlier this
month Phoenix, Arizona, during the annual conference this
week of the largest Latino civil right organization in the U.S.
While more Hispanic students are graduating high school and
enrolling in college, many still need remediation or are taking
longer than the standard two years to earn an associate’s degree.
Starting July 15, high school seniors who are Hispanic, from
low-income backgrounds and believe they have strong leadership
credentials can apply for a private scholarship to cover
virtually all college expenses.
Launched this year, the new program from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation will award its first full scholarships to 300 students
in 2018. The support will include not just tuition, but also
cover fees, housing, books and other costs.
A wrap-up of education news this week involving or affecting
Latino students:
Big step for SUNY Albany: Havidán
Rodríguez, a higher education leader in Texas, is the first Hispanic
president of the State University of New York at
Albany. “I am honored and privileged to have been chosen to
serve as the University at Albany’s next president,” Rodríguez
said.
Success Academy Charter Schools, a network of 41 schools in New
York with a high Latino student enrollment, was awarded the 2017
Broad Prize for charter schools this month along with $250,000 in
prize money.
The prize, awarded by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation,
recognizes a public charter school management organization that
has demonstrated high academic achievement, particularly for
low-income students and students of color. The foundation
announced the award during the National Charter Schools
Conference held in Washington, D.C.
Educators in Puerto Rico are getting support from the American
Federation of Teachers in their efforts to thwart a plan to close
schools as a way of helping the island deal with its financial
crisis.
AFT president Randi Weingarten sent a letter in April to the
Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico urging
them “not to make devastating funding cuts to the education
system that serves the 379,000 students in Puerto Rico.” The
federal fiscal board is overseeing Puerto Rico’s efforts to deal
with bankruptcy and resolve its debt.
University Leaders React to Potential Loss of DACA
With the White House expected to decide shortly on the fate of the DACA program, questions loom about future access to U.S. education by undocumented immigrants. And some education leaders are speaking out this week in favor of protecting the program.
Hispanics Now Nearly One-Quarter of U.S. Students, Data Reveal
New U.S. Census data show a dramatic increase in the number of Hispanics attending school, reaching nearly 18 million in 2016. The figure — which covers education at all levels — is double the total 20 years earlier.
“Hispanic students now make up 22.7 percent of all people enrolled in school,” said Kurt Bauman, the chief of Census Bureau’s Education and Social Stratification Branch, in a statement.
NSF Grant Fuels Efforts to Boost Latinos in STEM Fields
As part of an effort to boost the number of Latinos graduating with degrees in the STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — four universities will use a new federal grant to bring together experts closest to the issue to examine the challenges and brainstorm successful strategies.
The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of California at Irvine, the University of Arizona, the University of Houston and Nova Southeastern University in Florida each $100,000 to host the conferences.
More Efforts Proposed in Congress to Help Undocumented Youth
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — or DACA — continues to make headlines, with several bills introduced in Congress this month aimed at protecting undocumented young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and providing them with a path to citizenship.
DACA provides recipients access to higher education, putting educators on the front lines of the debate over undocumented youth. Many colleges and universities have created special websites or designated personnel to help DACA students navigate college and feel safe on campus.
News Roundup: Increasing Calls for Ethnic Diversity in Teacher Workforce
Concern is mounting about the relative lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the teaching force – whether in K-12 or higher education.
About 82 percent of U.S. public school teachers at the K-12 level are white and while 25 percent of public school students, or 1 in 4, is Hispanic, according to the most recent figures available from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Arizona State Steps Up Game on Studying Latinos’ Political Engagement
Arizona State University, in an effort to break new ground around the engagement of Latinos in the political process, has created a new chair on the topic and hired a top political scientist, Rodney Hero, to fill the post.
The new chair is just the latest move by ASU, which serves nearly 100,000 students, to enhance its Hispanic programs as its Latino enrollment has increased (to about 20 percent).
News Roundup: Bilingual Ed. Town Hall; Separate and Unequal Sports?
School finance. A bilingual ed townhall meeting. Christian-oriented universities recruiting Hispanic students. Here’s a wrap-up of education stories published the week of July 3-9 involving or affecting Latino students.
Community College Challenges Explored at Civil Rights Conference
The ongoing issues Latino students face in community colleges was the focus of a town hall meeting held earlier this month Phoenix, Arizona, during the annual conference this week of the largest Latino civil right organization in the U.S.
While more Hispanic students are graduating high school and enrolling in college, many still need remediation or are taking longer than the standard two years to earn an associate’s degree.
New ‘Gates Scholarship’ to Offer Full Ride to 300 Students of Color
Starting July 15, high school seniors who are Hispanic, from low-income backgrounds and believe they have strong leadership credentials can apply for a private scholarship to cover virtually all college expenses.
Launched this year, the new program from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will award its first full scholarships to 300 students in 2018. The support will include not just tuition, but also cover fees, housing, books and other costs.
Five Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
A wrap-up of education news this week involving or affecting Latino students:
Big step for SUNY Albany: Havidán Rodríguez, a higher education leader in Texas, is the first Hispanic president of the State University of New York at Albany. “I am honored and privileged to have been chosen to serve as the University at Albany’s next president,” Rodríguez said.
Strong Scores for Hispanic Students Helps NYC’s Success Academy Win Charter School Prize
Success Academy Charter Schools, a network of 41 schools in New York with a high Latino student enrollment, was awarded the 2017 Broad Prize for charter schools this month along with $250,000 in prize money.
The prize, awarded by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, recognizes a public charter school management organization that has demonstrated high academic achievement, particularly for low-income students and students of color. The foundation announced the award during the National Charter Schools Conference held in Washington, D.C.
Teachers Union Offers Support to Educators in Puerto Rico
Educators in Puerto Rico are getting support from the American Federation of Teachers in their efforts to thwart a plan to close schools as a way of helping the island deal with its financial crisis.
AFT president Randi Weingarten sent a letter in April to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico urging them “not to make devastating funding cuts to the education system that serves the 379,000 students in Puerto Rico.” The federal fiscal board is overseeing Puerto Rico’s efforts to deal with bankruptcy and resolve its debt.