This study is a snapshot of some school districts in California that are slightly ahead of their peers, though still in the early stages of this change process. What is important about the study is, first, the optimistic finding that capacity to support schools and school improvement can be built within school districts, at least in those large…

In November of 2005, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers gathered at a national invitational conference in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Laboratory for Student Success. The event took place just blocks away from the Capitol Rotunda where, days before, Rosa Parks' body laid in state as the nation mourned her passing. The conference…

The Write for Your Life project allows students to examine life events that affect their health and well-being by creating spaces for them to inquire into the circumstances of their lives. This paper examines Write for Your Life in a Texas middle school with a diverse student population, focusing on three students' writing projects. (SM)

Investigated young Mexican Americans' perceived control over health and health behaviors in relation to HIV/AIDS knowledge. Demographic, health locus of control, and HIV/AIDS knowledge measures indicated that though students who received school HIV/AIDS education had greater knowledge than those who did not, there was little relationship between…

Discusses the educational crisis of United States Latino/as and argues for recognition of the extent to which schools exercise institutional racism and violence against this cultural sector. Describes a University of Michigan course that trains future Spanish teachers in Latino cultural competence and a community service-learning course offering…

Reports on a study of the relationship of family role and structure with academic achievement among 2,666 Anglo and 492 Mexican American high school students. Relates behavioral, attitudinal, and structural dimensions of families to students' self-reported grades. Finds that familistic attitudes are important to academic success. (CFR)

Families of Hispanic-American children of limited English proficiency are generally being denied the right to choose intensive English-language instruction rather than more typical transitional bilingual education. This article reviews the success of intensive English-language instruction and presents the case for making it available. (SLD)

Racial relations in California, projected to have parity between white and non-white populations by 2050, illustrates the challenges of an increasingly multiracial society in policy areas such as affirmative action, bilingual education, and immigration reform. A new paradigm is needed that goes beyond the current black-white model to encompass…

Using maternal reports of child behavior, evaluated child, maternal, and environmental predictors of behavior problems in 83 African American and Puerto Rican preschoolers of disadvantaged adolescent mothers. Children of teenage mothers were less likely to have behavior problems by age three if the mothers received emotional support from peers and…

This case study shows how joint organizational efforts and individual initiative counteracted social structures inhibiting Latino students' pursuit of higher education. A high school principal, university president, institutional units responsible for student preparation and access to college, students, and their parents created social…

Offers a case study of an organizational model for inviting Latino students into California community colleges and reports on the positive outcomes. Notes the ability of celebratory socialization to create bridges between education and the community. Contains 22 references. (YKH)

For the first time in the 30-year history of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, the organization is focusing on the nurturing of scientific talent in preschoolers and very young children. SACNAS, whose mission is to encourage Chicano/Latino and American Indian students to pursue graduate education and advanced…

Pregnant teenagers and young parents often do not receive the quality of education available to other students. Most schools do not have a separate facility or program that deals with their special needs. Pregnant teens and teen parents should not be left behind. The Teen Parent Academy--a unique program in a predominantly Hispanic Texas border…

This study presents the conceptualization and subsequent model fit analysis of a retention model for Latino/a students at urban commuter universities. The three institutions involved in the study represent different environments for Latino/a students. Two are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and the third represents a predominantly White…

This article is intended to dispel the myth that Latinas and Latinos and other urban high school youths of color are not capable of performing at high academic levels. Much research shows that youths of color are underrepresented and underserved in gifted education programs. The authors describe the four success factors to which 10 working-class…