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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

"Making Education Work for Latinas" | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

"Making Education Work for Latinas" | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity:

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Philly Students Lead Citywide Assembly on Education
On February 1, the Philadelphia Student Union and Youth United for Change led a citywide assembly to talk about education in Philadelphia and what students can do to protect and fight for their public schools. On February 1, youth leaders with the Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) and Youth United for Change led a citywide assembly to talk about education in Philadelphia and what stude


2/4/2014 – Show Us The Money For Pre-K
February 4, 2014 Subscribe THIS WEEK: Sandy Hook Legacy, So Far … Civil Right Hero Calls Out ‘Reform’ … Our Most Educationally Neglected Youths … Common Ground Over Common Core … Obama Vs. Art History TOP STORY Hey Congress, Show Us The Money For Pre-K By Jeff Bryant “On Thursday, Senators on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) will meet to discuss an important step towa


"Making Education Work for Latinas"

Posted on: Tuesday February 4th, 2014

In an education debate that often focuses on young men, the particular challenges that young women face can often be ignored. This is especially true for young women of color. A new report from the Civil Rights Project shines a light on the educational experiences of young Latinas and how parents, teachers and schools can encourage more of them to stay in school and continue on to college. 
In California, where the majority of the school age population is Latino/a, just 11 percent of adult Latino/as hold a Bachelors degree or higher. Encouraging more Latino/a students to pursue higher education will be key to ensuring the state's economic future.
From the report: 
"Although Latinas complete college at almost twice the rate as their male counterparts, they trail all other women by significant percentages. The fact that two-thirds of Latinas come from low-income families and that many people continue to hold negative stereotypes about Latinas result in unique challenges for these young women: they are often expected to prioritize family responsibilities above school, they often feel that they 'don't belong' in school, a feeling that can be reinforced by discrimination and low expectations, and they see few models of Latinas who have excelled educationally that they can emulate. Too many lack any understanding of how or even why to pursue a college education."
A great video comes with the report and features 7 young Latinas who participated as case studies for the report. 




There are a number of policies that can help increase educational opportunities for Latinas: recruiting more Latina/o teachers and counselors; emphasizing math development and bilingualism; encouraging Latina students to participate in extracurriculars that tie them to the school community; and using family programs to encourage parents to support their daughters' college aspirations. 
Read the executive summary of the report here and read the full report here.



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Publication Date:  Mon, 2014-02-03 On December 9, 2013, parents, students, teachers and community members from over 60 cities across the country participated in the National Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education. On December 9, parents, students, teachers and community members from over 60 cities across the country participated in the National Day of Action to Recla

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