The Latino Education Gap

Andrea came into the public school system sort of speaking three languages: Spanish, English and Kanjobal. After five years of English immersion classes, she's still struggling to communicate - in any language.
By Nick Blumberg
February 04, 2012

Latinos are the largest ethnic minority group in the Southwest and the fastest growing in the United States.

More than one-third of Latino students are English Language Learners and they consistently perform poorly on state tests and have lower graduation rates than Whites and Asians, according to Department of Education data. In this ongoing series, the Fronteras Desk explores the Latino achievement gap in education throughout the Southwest.

We also look at how states and school districts are looking beyond federal guidelines and are creating innovative solutions to close the gap.