by Janet Murguía
The “Race to the Top” is the Obama administration’s name for the new education fund in the economic stimulus package. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently set out his game plan for this fund, which includes setting higher academic standards, tracking student achievement, and encouraging innovative programs such as those employed at charter schools.
The National Council of La Raza — the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States — has long supported these objectives.
For our nation to win a race to the top, policymakers must pay special attention to Latino students. We cannot make it to the finish line unless Hispanic children have greater access to high-quality preschool and the academic support to graduate from high school and be ready for college at the same rate as their white peers.
President Obama and Secretary Duncan must consider where Hispanic children stand today at both ends of the education spectrum: preschool and high school. More than 60 percent of Latino children do not attend a structured preschool program, thereby entering kindergarten with a learning gap that persists through high school. This means that their achievement levels fall below that of white students from their very first day of school and stay that way for the next 12 years. It comes as no surprise, then, that the national high school graduation rate for Latinos is a dismal 58 percent, compared to nearly 78 percent for whites.
The first step toward higher achievement is for Secretary Duncan to strengthen access and services to students who are learning English, the majority of whom are Hispanic. English language learners (ELLs) are learning content appropriate to their grade level, including math, social studies and science, at the same time they are learning a new language. To do this well, they need teachers with the right training, instructional and assessment tools appropriate for their language needs, and the support of educators who believe that ELLs can and must meet high academic standards.
Early childhood education programs are vital to getting Hispanic children on the right track, but there are not enough of these programs for Latinos. One stumbling block has been a severe lack of facilities that can house programs for toddlers and preschoolers in Latino neighborhoods. Also, there are not enough teachers trained to work with young children learning English, teachers who can provide support in the children’s native languages.
It is a long way from preschool to high school, but every policy decision along the way counts in a child’s education. The administration must make sure that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) lives up to its promise to improve the academic achievement of all students and close the achievement gap between Hispanic and white students.
NCLB can help Latinos and ELL students gain access to the rigorous coursework necessary to meet the same high standards as their peers. Under NCLB, schools must determine how these students are doing — including giving them tests in their native languages—and accurately measure their progress regularly. Also, NCLB requires schools to keep parents informed so they have the tools to become engaged in their children’s education and hold schools accountable for preparing their children to meet high academic standards.
Secretary Duncan has stated bluntly that our nation is losing ground educationally. The “Race to the Top” is a crucial attempt to improve an alarming situation that should be a priority for us all. At a time when the economy is at the forefront of our national consciousness, we appreciate that President Obama recognizes that education goes hand in hand with economic strength. It is telling that he unveiled his education plan when speaking to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, an audience that understands how important it is to support our economic interests by investing in education.
As President Obama has said, “We now live in a world where the most valuable skill you can sell is knowledge.” Hispanic Link News Service.
(Janet Murguía is president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, based in Washington, D.C.) ©2009
