Examines prominent theoretical models and assumptions about contextual factors that drive acculturation measures, which are used widely in educational research with Hispanics and other minorities. Uses Hispanic acculturation measures, particularly the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics and the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican…

Interviews with an urban Los Angeles first-grade teacher and observations of her class illustrate how social and cultural issues are brought into the classroom, creating an environment in which students learn to "read the world," acquiring social and cultural literacy as well as the more commonly perceived personal literacy. When…

A survey examined knowledge of the bilingual education program at a Houston (Texas) kindergarten among 19 Hispanic American parents. Few parents were familiar with the bilingual education practices and policies at their children's school, and their expectations for English-language instruction varied widely from what was actually happening in the…

Examines the relationship between school segregation and minority suburbanization on enrollments during the years 1987-1995. Uses data from the school-level enrollment counts from the Common Core of Data (CCD) sets. Reports that increased suburban segregation corresponds to the increase in suburban enrollment shares in black, Hispanic, and Asian…

A review of 10 studies on the rates of referral for intervention or assessment of students from three racial groups (Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic), found the mean risk ratios comparing the referral rates between African American and Caucasian students were significantly different from zero. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Ten Hispanic families in which bilingual parents had chosen to maintain the use of Spanish in the home were interviewed. Explicit questions about rationales for this choice elicited answers related to instrumental benefits of bilingualism, but analyses of interviews as life stories revealed the necessity of repeated reaffirmation of this…

Examines growth of metropolitan Miami's Spanish-language economy and the economic and cultural advantages of a multilingual workforce. Discusses Hispanic and Latin American businesses, Spanish-language media, statewide and local Spanish instructional programs, Dade County census data on language use and educational attainment, a Miami business…

Focus groups or interviews with 31 family members and 8 adolescents from minority communities investigated barriers families encountered as their adolescent youth with disabilities move into adulthood. Barriers included insensitivity/discrimination, lack of accommodations, and unresponsive services. Survey findings from 308 parents were consistent…

A study of 31 Latina mothers and their preschool children enrolled in a Los Angeles Head Start program found that 77 percent of mothers and 45 percent of children had witnessed community violence. About a quarter of mothers had significant levels of distress symptomatology, which were related to child behavioral problems. (Contains 69 references.)…

After a sharp increase in fatal accidents among Hispanic construction workers in Dallas, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began aggressive outreach to the Mexican American community. Efforts included training bilingual safety trainers, offering workers' safety training in Spanish, and developing Spanish-language materials.…

A survey of 118 Hispanic law students found that female students were more likely than males to expect gender discrimination in their future law firms; perceived discrimination affected student perceptions of the fairness of the promotion process, which influenced career satisfaction; and students did not expect ethnic discrimination to impede…

Interviewed and observed 8th graders involved in the Community Youth Research after school project (which taught youth how to investigate community needs and effect systemic change), examining how they described and interpreted their surroundings and directed their concerns toward social action. Participants identified many problems, making sense…

A study examined Chicano/Latino access to advanced placement (AP) high school classes. Data from a large California school district indicate that Latinos are underrepresented in AP classes; schools that serve urban, low-income, Latino/a communities have low AP enrollment; and even when they attend high schools with high AP enrollment, Latinos are…

A 4-year science education project in a rural southern California elementary school involved kit- and inquiry-based science instruction, including the use of science notebooks. Evaluations of fourth- and sixth-grade students in the program for 0-4 years found that English-learners with longer program participation had increased achievement scores…

Describes the Premedical Honors College (PHC), an eight-year, BS-MD program created by Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas-Pan American to increase the number of physicians addressing underserved populations in Texas. An outcomes study comparing PHC matriculants with students of similar academic ability, ethnicity, and interest…