The Latino Education Crisis Rescuing the American Dream

Abstract

The United States faces an unprecedented challenge. The largest and fastest growing minority group in the nation — Latinos — are performing academically at levels that will soon put the entire society at risk and consign these young people to a permanent underclass. From kindergarten to high school graduation and college matriculation, the gaps in achievement between Latinos and most other students are enormous, and in many cases growing. Projections are that, unchecked, this situation will continue to worsen. No other statistic better captures the plight of the Latino population than college completion rates.