Latino students in environments built on tech and information growth are being failed by educational systems, creating a group of students who struggle with algebra — who are very unlikely to go onto college successfully, according to a report published by Joanne Jacobs, Matt Hammer and Dr. Linda Murray for Innovate Public Schools.
The report, “Broken Promises: The Children Left Behind in Silicon Valley Schools” has follows five racial categories: Latino, Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, Filipino, and White. Of these, only 22% of Latinos were “proficient” in algebra by eighth grade.
Blacks were 2 points higher. In contrast, Asians sat on top, with 76% being “proficient” in algebra. The report analyzed:
…proficiency in elementary reading and math, who takes and who passes 8th-grade algebra and what percentage of 9th graders graduate in four years with the college prep coursework needed to pursue a bachelor’s degree at University of California and California State University.
The authors reasoning behind not looking at just 12th graders is that too many (Latino) kids just “don’t get that far.”
There is some geography in the study. Latinos living in Alum Rock, and areas with high-quality charter and top-tier district run schools are much better off than Latinos living in places like Berryessa, San Mateo-Foster City and Sunnyvale. According to the study, in these areas, only 10% of Latinos are algebra proficient by eighth grade. For a demographic which makes up a quarter of Silicon Valley’s workforce, this is a problem; only 5% of Latinos in this area work with computers.
The struggle to overcome algebra and get out of high school in four years to be eligible for a California public university, is often difficult for many Latinos; 75% of college-bound Latinos are going to community colleges. Few complete a vocational program, and even less will go on to receive a bachelor’s degree.
Even ACT, a standardized test used by colleges to measure a student’s competence in skills, shows that a lot of Hispanics simply are not prepared for college. A 2012 ACT report the study cites says that only 13% of Latinos who took the ACT were fully prepared to pass a college writing, algebra, or biology class. Nevermind read a college-level social science book. 44% of Latinos were unprepared for college in any subject.
The study does not identify any causes to the problems, so speculation as to why Latinos are not doing well abounds. The report does cite a 2009 Pew survey as reporting that 88% of Hispanics feel college is “important” and 74% who said it was a goal.
Read the report in its entirety here.
[Image Via BdWayDiva1]
Elaine Rita Mendus is a undergraduate student working on graduating college (someday soon). Her career interests include geopolitics, the Hispanic community, and urban planning. She really wouldn't mind ending up a scriptwriter though...
