While the number of parents who opt out of having their kids take
their states’ standardized tests has grown nationally,
much of this movement appears to be made up of white, wealthier
families. Latinos and other minorities seem to be
less inclined to avoid standardized testing.
That should not be the case, said Ruth Rodriguez, an administrator
with United Opt Out National.
Margarita is a four-year-old girl living in East Harlem. She
speaks Spanish at home with her Mexican-born parents, is
obedient, well-behaved and plays well with kids her age,
younger and older.
Black and Hispanic children experience mental health problems at
a similar rate than their white peers, yet are less likely to
receive treatment, a new study of nationally representative data
shows.
Young Latinos who are not proficient in English are more
likely to develop higher early literacy skills when their
teachers are also Latino, according to a University of Virginia
study released this week examining the teacher-student racial
gap in pre-K.
Charter schools have grown at a rapid rate over the past 20
years as parents, activist groups, lawmakers and others look for
alternatives to the traditional public schools.
Supporters say charters can offer the freedom to be more
creative in the curriculum they provide to support a wider range
of needs for students.
Graduates in white and purple robes exited the auditorium, their
newly turned tassels bouncing as they sang and danced to a
recording of the popular Latin salsa tune, “Vivir Mi Vida.”
They had just graduated from the Margarita Muñiz Academy in
Boston — many with more than a high school diploma. Forty-six of
the 51 new alumni of the dual-language school had also earned a
Seal of Biliteracy, an
official recognition of their academic proficiency in both
English and Spanish.
A community program working to reduce violence through soccer and
an after-school robotics class serving Latino youth in the
Washington, D.C. metropolitan region have each received up to
$50,000 in grants to aid their efforts from the Inter-American
Development Bank.
Reporter Armando Trull provides insight into these two programs
in a
story for WAMU.
The California Community Colleges Board of Governors voted
unanimously this week to appoint Eloy Ortiz Oakley as the
system’s next chancellor. This decision marks the first time a
Latino has been at the helm of the 113-college system, where
Hispanic students make up 42 percent of the student
population and represented nearly half of all new students last
fall.
This special, morning-long session features a series of speakers
aiming to illuminate under-recognized or under-reported facets of
the challenges of providing equitable opportunities for all
students. Topics examined include social mobility, cultural
questions, combatting trauma, and solutions focusing on equity.
When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced his $100 million
pledge to transform the downtrodden schools of Newark, New
Jersey, then-mayor Cory Booker and Governor Chris Christie were
beside him, vowing to help make Newark “a symbol of educational
excellence for the whole nation.” Dale Russakoff’s book tells the
story of what happened next.
Daniel Connolly of the Memphis Commercial Appeal for EWA
I spent an academic year as an embedded reporter inside a Memphis
high school that enrolled hundreds of children of Mexican
immigrants. Many of the young people I met that year had lived
most of their lives in the United States, and in some cases
were born here. Most spoke fluent English.
As I followed these English-speaking students around the school,
I paid much less attention to another group of young people: kids
who had recently arrived from other countries and spoke little
English.
If you haven’t yet heard of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to
uphold the use of race as a factor in college admissions, you may
have at least seen the #BeckyWithTheBadGrades buzz
on Twitter and wondered what it meant.
Though it is in part a reference to Beyoncé’s “Lemonade”
sensation, the hashtag has more to do with higher education than
pop culture.
Latinos, Standardized Tests and the Opt-Out Movement
While the number of parents who opt out of having their kids take their states’ standardized tests has grown nationally, much of this movement appears to be made up of white, wealthier families. Latinos and other minorities seem to be less inclined to avoid standardized testing.
That should not be the case, said Ruth Rodriguez, an administrator with United Opt Out National.
From Pre-K to Higher Ed: Inequities Latino Students Face
Margarita is a four-year-old girl living in East Harlem. She speaks Spanish at home with her Mexican-born parents, is obedient, well-behaved and plays well with kids her age, younger and older.
Study Highlights Racial Disparities in Mental Health Services, School Discipline
Black and Hispanic children experience mental health problems at a similar rate than their white peers, yet are less likely to receive treatment, a new study of nationally representative data shows.
Study: Teacher-Student Racial Gap Matters — Even in Pre-K
Young Latinos who are not proficient in English are more likely to develop higher early literacy skills when their teachers are also Latino, according to a University of Virginia study released this week examining the teacher-student racial gap in pre-K.
‘Following the Money’: Reporter Shares Tips from Charter School Finance Investigation
Charter schools have grown at a rapid rate over the past 20 years as parents, activist groups, lawmakers and others look for alternatives to the traditional public schools.
Supporters say charters can offer the freedom to be more creative in the curriculum they provide to support a wider range of needs for students.
Dual-Language Programs on the Rise Across the U.S.
Graduates in white and purple robes exited the auditorium, their newly turned tassels bouncing as they sang and danced to a recording of the popular Latin salsa tune, “Vivir Mi Vida.”
They had just graduated from the Margarita Muñiz Academy in Boston — many with more than a high school diploma. Forty-six of the 51 new alumni of the dual-language school had also earned a Seal of Biliteracy, an official recognition of their academic proficiency in both English and Spanish.
D.C.-Area Latino Youth Programs Get Financial Boost
A community program working to reduce violence through soccer and an after-school robotics class serving Latino youth in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region have each received up to $50,000 in grants to aid their efforts from the Inter-American Development Bank.
Reporter Armando Trull provides insight into these two programs in a story for WAMU.
Calif. Community College System Gets First Latino Boss
The California Community Colleges Board of Governors voted unanimously this week to appoint Eloy Ortiz Oakley as the system’s next chancellor. This decision marks the first time a Latino has been at the helm of the 113-college system, where Hispanic students make up 42 percent of the student population and represented nearly half of all new students last fall.
EWA Express Talks: Equity, Poverty, and Education
Video Resources from the 69th EWA National Seminar
This special, morning-long session features a series of speakers aiming to illuminate under-recognized or under-reported facets of the challenges of providing equitable opportunities for all students. Topics examined include social mobility, cultural questions, combatting trauma, and solutions focusing on equity.
By the Book: Dale Russakoff, The Prize
Video Resources from the 69th EWA National Seminar
When Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced his $100 million pledge to transform the downtrodden schools of Newark, New Jersey, then-mayor Cory Booker and Governor Chris Christie were beside him, vowing to help make Newark “a symbol of educational excellence for the whole nation.” Dale Russakoff’s book tells the story of what happened next.
Educating Immigrant Students: A Story in Every Community
I spent an academic year as an embedded reporter inside a Memphis high school that enrolled hundreds of children of Mexican immigrants. Many of the young people I met that year had lived most of their lives in the United States, and in some cases were born here. Most spoke fluent English.
As I followed these English-speaking students around the school, I paid much less attention to another group of young people: kids who had recently arrived from other countries and spoke little English.
Affirmative Action, #BeckyWithTheBadGrades and Latino Students
If you haven’t yet heard of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the use of race as a factor in college admissions, you may have at least seen the #BeckyWithTheBadGrades buzz on Twitter and wondered what it meant.
Though it is in part a reference to Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” sensation, the hashtag has more to do with higher education than pop culture.