This book is an in-depth study which examines the lives of fifty ambitious Latino/a high school seniors in the San Francisco East Bay Area, following their entrance into college and career pathways over several years. This book examines the social forces that contributed to near-universal college attendance among these mostly low-income Latinos/as, all of whom attended fairly typical public schools. In an era of increased economic insecurity, decreased funding for schools, and rising college tuition, this book provides a balanced look at the individual choices and systemic constraints influencing today’s “college-for-all” orientation, while pointing the way toward possibilities for making college pathways smoother for all.

This book is an in-depth study which examines the lives of fifty ambitious Latino/a high school seniors in the San Francisco East Bay Area, following their entrance into college and career pathways over several years. This book examines the social forces that contributed to near-universal college attendance among these mostly low-income Latinos/as, all of whom attended fairly typical public schools. In an era of increased economic insecurity, decreased funding for schools, and rising college tuition, this book provides a balanced look at the individual choices and systemic constraints influencing today’s “college-for-all” orientation, while pointing the way toward possibilities for making college pathways smoother for all.

Now the largest and fastest-growing ethnic population in the U.S., Latino students face many challenges and complexities when it comes to college choice and access. This edited volume provides much needed theoretical and empirical data on how the schooling experiences of Latino students shape their educational aspirations and access to higher education. It explores how the individual and collective influence of the home, school and policy shape the college decision-making process. This unique collection of original scholarly articles offers critical insight on educational pathways that will help families, educators and policy makers intervene in ways that foster and sustain college access and participation for Latino students. It considers destination preferences and enrollment selections, elementary and secondary school experiences, and intervention programs that shed light on how practitioners can promote participation and retention. This multi-conceptual, multi-methodological volume offers directions for future research, programming and policy in Latino education.

Though colleges and universities are arguably paying more attention to diversity and inclusion than ever before, to what extent do their efforts result in more socially just campuses? This book examines how race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, and other identities connect to produce intersected campus experiences.

While the black and white racial experience has been delineated over the years, the ethnic realities of Latinos have received minimal attention. Therefore, with Latinos projected as the upcoming U.S. population majority, the central goal of this book is to document the Latino experience in the world of academia, focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on first-generation Latino students in higher education, delineating the dynamics of the educational journey, while situating their experiences within the ethnic community, the overall American society, and the international community. The text focuses on (1) ethnic realities including Latino student access to higher education, retention, graduation rates, and career success; (2) analysis of historic trends; (3) extensive review of prior empirical studies; (4) a holistic portrayal of education in the U.S.; (5) a qualitative study conducted in an institution of higher education in Texas, placing the stories of participating Latino students in theoretical context; (6) vivid documentation of historically entrenched racial ideologies in American education; (7) exploration of potential solutions to historical and contemporary barriers confronting Latino students; (8) development of a model of empowerment for Latino students; (9) information for the establishment of a balanced educational system; (10) accountability of higher education institutions; (11) review of revolutionizing education in the midst of current globalization; and (12) venturing into the future of Latino education in the overall American experience. Finally, the book seeks to examine not only America’s racism that is evident, but also the structural, cultural, and ideological forces that have influenced and continue to perpetuate the current educational situation for Latinos.

Despite their numbers, Latinos continue to lack full and equal participation in all facets of American life, including education. This book provides a critical discussion of the role that select K–12 educational policies have and continue to play in failing Latino students. The author draws upon institutional, national, and statewide data sets, as well as interviews among students, teachers, and college administrators, to explore the role that public policies play in educating Latino students. The book concludes with specific recommendations that aim to raise achievement, college transition rates, and success among Latino students across the preschool through college continuum. Chapters cover high dropout rates, access to college-preparation resources, testing and accountability, financial aid, the Dream Act, and affirmative action.