History of Schooling

Latino Children

By Jill ZiebellEDUC 299

1800’s• 1836-1850’s Most schools

were established by Catholic Church or Ethnic Mexicans

• Thereafter Public officials and Protestant groups set up schools.

• Catholic church and Ethnic Mexicans set up schools to maintain religious and linguistic traditions

• Public and Protestants set up schools in order to assimilate or evangelize Mexican.

During the later part of the Century Protestant schools aimed at providing Mexican leaders with knowledge necessary for the participation in evolving social order.

1800’s Continued

• Schools were an instrument of cultural conformity• 3 R’s & Religion were taught• Aimed to eliminate non-English languages,

customs, and commonalities.

1900’s• 1912 New Mexico

enters the union as an officially bilingual state, authorizing funds for voting in both Spanish and English, as well as for bilingual education. Article XII of the state constitution also prohibits segregation for children of "Spanish descent."

1945 Mexican-American parents sue several California school districts, challenging the segregation of Latino students in separate schools. The California Supreme Court rules in the parents' favor in Mendez v. Westminster, arguing segregation violates children's constitutional rights. The case is an important precedent for Brown vs. The Board of Education.

1968 Latino High School Walkouts• Los Angeles students stage citywide walkouts• Protesting unequal treatment • Punished for speaking Spanish on school property• Not allowed to use the bathroom during lunch• Actively discouraged from going to college. • Walkout participants are subjected to police brutality

and public ridicule• 13 students are arrested• Result in school reform and an increased college

enrollment among Latino youth

1970’s• 1970 The U.S. Department of Health, Education and

Welfare issues a memorandum saying students cannot be denied access to educational programs because of an inability to speak English.

• 1974 Congress passes the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974 to make bilingual education more widely available in public schools.

Tracking of Latino Students• 1990 Study• Placement was determined

by– 8th grade test scores– Elementary school grades– Attendance – Negative comments about a

student's behavior in his or her files.

• High school placements made in the eighth grade have profound occupational and educational outcomes.

Detracking Success Story

• Rockville Centre School District in New • Close the achievement gap • 2000, South Side High School, only high school

dismantled 9th & 10th grade tracking system • all students access to the honors curriculum• In 2009, 95% or Rockville Centre’s Latino & Black

students received a Regent’s diploma & 87% took at least one IB (International Bachelorette) class.

• Up from 32% before detracking.

Dropout rates of 16-24 year-olds, by race/ethnicity: October 1972-2001

Today’s Latino Students

• Largest minority group in Nation’s schools

• 22% K-12 Students• < ½ of Latino students attend

early childhood programs• Too few graduate• Only 12% of Hispanics have a

Bachelor’s Degree• 3% have Master’s degree or

beyond

How to Promote Equity• Establish Culturally Responsive

Pedagogy– Institutional

• Policies• Organization• Community Involvement

– Personal (Teacher)• Reflection• Get to know family and communities• Help Reform Institution

– Instruction• Acknowledge differences• Consider cultural differences in

materials and instruction• Foster positive environment• Set high standards for all

• Create Action Plan– Involve families– Involve community members– Create welcoming environment– Make appropriate resources

available (interpreter)– Self Reflection

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics• October 19, 2010• Increasing understanding of the causes of the

educational challenges. • Increasing percentage of Latino students who attend

early childhood classes• Ensuring Hispanic students have access to excellent

teachers and school leaders.– Culturally Responsive Instruction

• Reducing dropout rates– Improve school climate

• Increasing college access• Fostering positive family & • Community involvement

Latino Education Today• Education Excellence for Hispanic Americans• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9UU9Lu

OAv8

Summary• Cultural Responsive Pedagogy is necessary to

ensure the success of all students• Government, communities, families, schools,

teachers, & students must work together.• Create a plan to ensure the success of every

student.• Create better students, citizen, and country

References• Burris, C. (2010). Detracking for success. Principal Leadership, 10(5), 30-4.

Retrieved from Education Full Text database• Kloosterman, V. I. (2003). Latino students in American schools: historical

and contemporary views.Retrieved from http://books.google.com/ books?id=lkXsOE5QHSgC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=mexican-american+schools+1500's&source=bl&ots=9Mk_pRqJOD&sig=MZptsNerbO1D-6CM7reXWrXpNU&hl=en&ei=173JTNO3MMKUnAfNnKwU&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.). Teaching tolerance civil rights timeline, 1903 to 2006. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from http://www.tolerance.org/activity/ latino-civil-rights-timeline-1903-2006

• U.S. Department of Education Institute of Educational Sciences. (2003). Dropout rate 2001. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from http://nces.ed.gov/ssbr/pages/dropout.asp

• White House. (2010, October 19). Educational excellence for Hispanic Americans [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2010/10/19/educational-excellence-hispanic-americans

The End