Chicano Latino Affairs Council > Issues

Chicano Latino Affairs Council, State of Minnesota

60 Empire Drive, Ste 203
Saint Paul MN 55103

T: 651 296.9587
1 888 234.1291
F: 651 297.1297

clac.desk@state.mn.us

Education

Fact Sheets

Education is undoubtedly a tool for empowerment and it is that tool that the Council will seek to champion for Latinos in Minnesota. The Council has begun to address the issue by newly establishing a CLAC Education Committee. The objectives for education in the next two years are:

Target organizations and education experts and find ways to maximize resources and push for more positive, fundamental, and systemic change;

Increase awareness of the dire needs and challenges that face Latino students;

Promote more parental involvement and encourage parents to instill the values of education in their future;

Continue to work and research enrollment patterns of Latino students statewide and school districts' response the increasing trend;

Advocate for Hispanic higher education learning initiatives;

Educate legislators on the importance of bilingual and culturally competent programs to ensure academic achievement and success;

Improve the hiring and retention of teachers of color and bilingual teachers; and

Strengthen partnerships with Hispanic national organizations, such as the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and the National Council of La Raza.

Reports:
Opportunities and Challenges: The Education of Latinos in Minnesota
This report, carried out by Latino research nonprofit HACER, provides an analysis of Minnesota’s achievement gap and graduation rates for Latino high school students; it reveals a variety of causes, implications and, more importantly, elements of success of programs for Latino students. Since 2010, a collaboration between CLAC and Minnesota Humanities Center has used Arts & Legacy funding to explore new approaches to significantly improve results in Latino education. Building on what had been done, HACER worked over the past year on a detailed consideration of effective methods behind Latino student success. With a recently awarded MHC grant, we are now exploring how to replicate these elements of success in other schools.

You will be able to read firsthand perspectives from program leaders, staff, and student interviews that offer insights into the culture needed in our schools to shrink the disparities that persist among Latino students. Policy implications are described at every level of involvement, which could be used to promote these elements of success throughout the state. Click Here to download a copy of the report (PDF).

Minnesota Latino Student Achievement Gap Review
The Council was invited to present to the Achievement Gap Subcommittee during a hearing which took place on November 8th, at the Capitol building. Sen. Torres Ray requested that each Council deliver a statement regarding the status of Latino children in the area of education, particularly the achievement gap. Click here to download a copy of the presentation.

Latino Students in our Public Schools
The Council co-sponsored a report by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and that will be used as a model to map the issue and present it to policy makers at the state legislature. Click here to download a copy of the report.

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About the Issues

In this section you will find a list of recent reports by CLAC, links to translated state government documents as well as links to recent publications by other organizations.

If you are interested in submitting a link or document for possible inclusion on this page, please contact us. CLAC reserves the right to include a document or link in this section

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