In neighborhoods of wide socioeconomic and cultural variation, liaisons who speak at least two languages are a vital link between school and community. Over several years, Fairfax County, Virginia, program has grown from one part-time position to three positions to meet the needs of the sizable Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking communities. (MLH)

Pasadena (California) High School's Puente Pilot Project encourages Hispanic students to pursue college and return home as leaders and mentors. A bilingual counselor, community liaison, and English teacher engage students in an integrated curriculum relevant to their life experiences. Portfolio exhibitions involving oral presentation and…

Examined a program which had adolescent, male, minority students mentor elementary students and encouraged them to consider teaching careers. Investigated how adolescents' perceptions intersected with elementary schools' structural constraints. Data from observations, interviews, and focus groups revealed the value to the mentors of their…

An in-depth study of the experiences of Mexican American women at three Texas universities found that precollege factors such as early education and familial support had more impact on the students' experiences and success than did the ethnic or gender composition of the university. (Contains 20 references.) (Author/SV)

A survey of 50 Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents of children with learning disabilities examined treatment of the two groups of parents in the special education process, parents' involvement in the process, and how parental treatment compared to the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Strategies are suggested to maximize…

Data from 341 Hispanic and non-Hispanic job applicants at an assessment center indicate that overall, Hispanics were given lower ratings than non-Hispanics, but there were no interactions between the ethnicity of the assessor team and that of assessees. (Contains 31 references.) (Author/TD)

Describes the experiences of one California elementary school teacher who, after being involved in bilingual education, helped author a referendum to eliminate bilingual education as practiced in California, replacing it with sheltered English immersion and regular English classes. He notes failures in bilingual education and discusses successes…

Presents an upper-division Spanish class combining theoretical readings on literacy and hands-on tutoring at reading programs for Spanish-speaking adults as a model for a course with service learning. Undergraduates gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of key issues concerning literacy while providing a needed service to a neglected…

Examined the temporal association between body image and depressive symptoms in African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and white adolescents. Found that girls were more influenced by body image change than boys. Compared to other ethnic groups, African American girls experienced a greater increase in psychological distress as body…

Achievement gaps between minority and white students may never be resolved because they are an artifact of a measurement process that uses flawed tests to assess student progress. IQ and achievement testing have always shown that socioeconomic status (SES) is critical in explaining test score variance. SES is part of the concept of cultural…

Used Educational Longitudinal Study data to examine the differential impact of reform and traditional instruction on the mathematics performance and attitudes of black and Hispanic American tenth and twelfth graders. Twelfth graders receiving reform instruction had significantly higher achievement than those receiving traditional instruction.…

Describes a lawsuit brought by Chinese American families against one academic high school. Parents challenged the admission process, including special consideration for African American and Hispanic students. Chinese American families argued that any consideration of race in the application process violated equal protection. Advances a notion of…

Study examined the relationship between adolescents' perceived social support and self-reported (mal)adjustment indicators among predominantly at-risk, Hispanic students. Results indicated significant relationships in the expected direction between overall social support and clinical and school (mal)adjustment indicators. Parent and classmate…

A study involving 149 Hispanic students aged 5-11 in bilingual programs in Texas developed preliminary data on a measure of phonological processing in Spanish and investigated the extent of cross-linguistic transfer for phonological awareness skills from Spanish to English. Phonological processing in Spanish, as measured by the instrument,…

Examined psychometric properties of Caregiver Inventory of Self-Concept (CISC) used with a largely Latino sample of 6- to 66-month-olds, and Tasks for Observation of Self-Concept (TOSC) used with 15- to 48-month-olds. Coefficient alpha and factor analysis provided evidence for test reliability and validity. Self-concept development followed…