To ensure all students in our country have a real opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, we need to remove barriers that create unequal challenges for Latino students—such as low income levels and access to college-readiness programs. By providing support and resources tailored to specific backgrounds and experiences, we can make education work better for everyone.
27% of the 50.6 million students enrolled in public schools are Latino. 5 million students are English learners—of which 77% are Latino.
Latino students have made progress over the past decade: the high school dropout rate for Latinos is at a record low, the college enrollment gap between Latino and non-Latino white students is narrowing, and more Latinos are earning a bachelor’s degree. Yet, more must be done to ensure that Latinos of all racial backgrounds, linguistic abilities, and gender identities have an opportunity for social and economic mobility.
Stay up to date on what is happening in the Latino community and how UnidosUS is working to improve educational opportunity for all students.
Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States. It’s in the nation’s best interest that young Latino children have access to high-quality early childhood education programs that are tailored to their needs and properly engage their families.
We call for investments to improve the educational achievement of Latino and English learner students and prepare them to succeed in college and beyond.
Higher education remains the foundation of economic mobility, providing access to employment and wealth building opportunities for Latinos.
Latino students have made progress over the past decade: the high school dropout rate for Latinos is at a record low, the college enrollment gap between Latinos and non-Latino white students is narrowing, and more Latinos are earning a bachelor’s degree.
Our Padres Comprometidos programs have helped over 3,400 parents support their children’s academic success. This initiative helps parents:
Education experts Roxanne Garza and Amanda Martinez provide an overview of our agenda for student success in higher education.
Play video in lightboxUnidosUS’s education programs focus on the student educational experience from early childhood to college and beyond; parent and community engagement; and leadership development fellowships for college students and school leaders.
Since 2009, we have trained more than 200 facilitators and helped over 3,400 parents support their children’s academic success by giving them the skills to effectively engage with schools and play a leading role in their child’s education. The program meets parents where they are, using families’ language and culture as assets upon which skills, confidence, and empowerment are built.
Nearly one in five American workers are Latino, but fewer than one in 10 Americans employed in the STEM workforce are Latino. We provide hands-on STEM opportunities to Latino youth in a way that is relevant to their needs and background and engage Latino families in STEM discovery.
UnidosUS’s leadership development programs empowers students to recognize their personal worth, strengthen their leadership abilities, and develop their capacity to promote and lead change in the Latino community and beyond.
CASA Code provides middle school students with hands-on computer science and coding experience in Spanish. It also includes parents in the process of learning about academic and career trajectories in computer science and encourages students to apply what they learn to the challenges they see in their surroundings, develop their leadership skills and foster a culture of service to the community.
Educación COMPLETA goes beyond academics to meet all of a student’s needs so they can thrive. At its core, a whole-student approach aims to recognize and support all aspects of a student’s life that impact their well-being and learning success.
In 2020, generously funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, UnidosUS began its research on Educación COMPLETA practices. Working with both UnidosUS Affiliates and partners, the goal is to develop the core qualities and a tool kit for whole-student learning that leverages the cultural and linguistic strengths of Latinx children and their families and addresses the key challenges they face in navigating the school system. The core qualities and accompanying tool kit will be piloted and shared within the UnidosUS Affiliate Network and with external partners through peer exchanges, webinars, and public-facing communications activities.
The National Institute for Latino School Leaders, NILSL, bridges a gap in the policy arena by infusing the voice of school leaders working with and on behalf of Latino students.
UnidosUS and fellow Dual Language Learner (DLL) policy leaders, Early Edge California, and the Children’s Equity Project have released a new set of federal policy recommendations to support DLLs now.
December 5, 2023
Biden AdministrationDLLsDual Language LearnersEducationand 3 more tags
Desde que la pandemia de COVID-19 cerró los edificios de escuelas públicas en todo Estados Unidos a principios de 2020, investigaciones de indicadores académicos han documentado impactos desproporcionados, y potencialmente […]
November 30, 2023
ArizonaCaliforniaCOVID-19Educacionand 3 more tags
This report examines several strategies and practices that have tremendous promise for accelerating Latino students’ recovery and promoting continued educational progress.
October 19, 2023
ArizonaCaliforniaCOVID-19Educationand 3 more tags
UnidosUS submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services “Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)” proposed rule. The letter […]
August 31, 2023
ChildrenEarly Childhood EducationEducational policy
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