In our former article, published in Spring of 2009, we were able to establish that education trends among the Hispanic population are improving for second and third generations of immigrant families (2007 Economic Report of the President). Although Hispanics have made dramatic educational gains overall, this population remains underrepresented in higher education. If Hispanics are to continue making improvements in their socio-economic contributions to American society, new policies and measures are needed to continue spurring their educational achievement.
According to the Minorities in Higher Education 2008 Twenty-third Status Report, the most current educational statistics from the U.S. Census show significant gains in high school completion and college enrollment rates for young Hispanics between the ages of 18 to 24 (Ryu, 2008). High school completion rates improved from 59 percent to 68 percent between 1995 and 2005. There is a large presence of Hispanic students in higher-education institutions, mostly community colleges, like never before. In 2006, 25 percent of Hispanics aged 18 to 24 enrolled in college. College enrollment was up by 66 percent to more than 1.7 million students. Although most Hispanic college students are enrolled in two-year community colleges, Hispanic enrollment grew faster at four-year institutions than at two-year institutions (Ryu, 2008). Enrollment in postsecondary education is higher among Hispanic high school students than any other racial/ethnic groups.
A 2002 study by the Pew Hispanic Center (PHC) reported that 40 percent of Latinos attended two-year institutions, compared to 25 percent of White and African American students ages 18- to 24- years old (Fry, 2002). Although college completion rates among Hispanic youth declined among students who began at two-year institutions, there were dramatic improvements in degree attainment from those enrolled at universities. According to Ryu’s report (2008), “Hispanics nearly doubled the number of bachelor’s degrees received over the last decade to more than 105,000. Hispanics also made dramatic gains in doctoral degrees earned, rising from 950 in 1995 to more than 1,700 in 2005, an increase of 83 percent.” Despite outstanding academic improvements, the educational attainment of Hispanics remains lower than any other racial/ethnic group in this country.
Part of the problem could be associated with part-time enrollment. Statistics show that Hispanic students tend to enroll part-time in higher numbers than their white peers (Ryu, 2008). Researchers have associated part-time enrollment with certain behaviors (e.g., interrupting enrollment, working excessively) that may hinder students ability to finish their degree (O’Toole, Stratton, and Wetzel 2003). While part-time enrollment is beneficial because it lowers the costs of education, thereby increasing accessibility, and offers them more flexibility, it provides no guarantee of academic success (NCES).
It is clear that if Hispanics are to continue to make strides and inroads into corporate America and increase our significant contributions to society, we must find ways to continue improving their educational attainment (Chapa & De la Rosa, 2004). Scholars have suggested a number of solutions to the retention and graduation rate crisis going on in the Hispanic college community addressing the importance of improving the campus climate for racial/ethnic diversity. These solutions include the creation of educational and financial programs tailored to Hispanics to make them feel comfortable on campuses with little minority representation, and the implementation of orientation programs that promote cultural resources to minority students (Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, 1999).
|
