Latino children under 18 years of age are the second-largest group of students after Whites. Latino school-aged children are also among the fastest-growing student populations. Latinos are a significant and growing proportion of the United States student population. In particular, 32.1% of the Hispanic population is enrolled in our nation’s schools. In 2005, Hispanics accounted for more than 10.9 million students enrolled in U.S. prekindergarten through 12th grade public schools and 1.9 million students enrolled in institutions of higher education, representing 17% of total student enrollment. The status of Latino education suggests a number of missed opportunities from early childhood education through higher education. Compared to their peers, Latinos are more likely to start school later and leave school earlier. Given the predominance and growth of the Latino student population, ensuring that our nation’s public schools and universities improve their capacity to adequately serve Latino students, as well as immigrants and English language learners, must be a national priority.
Related Resources
- Hispanic Education in the United States (Statistical Brief)
- Latino Education: Status and Prospects: State of Hispanic America 1998 (Report)
- Significant Court Cases Related to the Education of Latino Students
- Legal Landmarks in the Education of Language-Minority Students
- School Opening Alert in English/Spanish (Flyer)
NCLR Also Recommends:
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Education Watch 2006 Summary Reports (Reports by Education Trust)
