Thread: Hispanic Education Act

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_15426069

New law hopes to close achievement gap for Hispanic students
By Elizabeth Piazza The Daily Times
Posted: 07/01/2010 11:39:00 PM MDT

FARMINGTON — The number of Hispanic students who graduate from Farmington Municipal Schools continues to fall below the state and national average, officials said.

Sixty-one percent of Hispanic students graduate in the district, compared to the state average of 66 percent and an overall national average of 70 percent, said Danielle Montoya, spokeswoman for the New Mexico Public Education Department.

State officials are hoping the Hispanic Education Act, a new law that went into effect Thursday, will offer a more cohesive voice to the Hispanic community throughout New Mexico and address issues to improve achievement gaps.

"The main thing (the Hispanic Education Act) did was formalize community engagement and the community voice in crafting public policy," Montoya said.

Nearly 56 percent of students in New Mexico are Hispanic. The law requires officials to create a formal advisory council and a Hispanic Education Liaison to focus on education policy and develop strategies to improve achievement.

The liaison will work with the advisory council to serve as a resource for the 89 school districts throughout the state, Montoya said.

The act also requires the Public Education Department to provide an annual report on the status of Hispanic education.

Officials will track college remediation and retention rates in New Mexico and throughout the United States in addition to other statistics such as graduation and drop-out rates.

"It will help us come up with solutions," said Montoya of the data analysis.

More than 2,800 Hispanic students attend Farmington schools, from preschool through 12th grade.

Yet despite the lower graduation rate, Gayle Barfoot, director of the bilingual education program in Farmington Municipal Schools, believes the district's Hispanic programs remain strong.

"Our Hispanic students are progressing quite well," Barfoot said. "Generally speaking, Hispanic students really lag behind the Caucasian population, but not here. They do very well."

The school district does a "nice job of integrating those immigrant students in school," said Barfoot. "We have a really good program here for Hispanic students and Native American students both for home language and English academic acquisition."

The district also requires every new teacher to become certified to teach English as a second language within five years of becoming employed.

The district is cognizant of the obstacles Hispanic students face in school and "we are making progress," Barfoot said. "The new law will only strengthen our focus on the Hispanic community."

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More specialness for Hispanics. This article obviously makes no mention of the illegal students but I'm sure that there are many of them and that they are covered by this law.

Well this seem to be a very discriminatory law. Why Hispanics? Why not Chinese, Japanese, Iranians, Brazilians, Italians?

Why is it ALL of the children from every other nation in the world have no problem learning English and passing classes? Any its not all Hispanics, it just seem to be Mexicans.

At some point, Hispanics were made to be "THE" ethnic group in this country.
Everything revolves around them and they seem to be entitled to everything under the sun.

Oh, yipee. Another free handout for illegals that we get to pay for. Aren't we lucky.

Why the hell is this for Hispanics and not African-Americans?
Racist SOB's.

Well this seem to be a very discriminatory law. Why Hispanics? Why not Chinese, Japanese, Iranians, Brazilians, Italians?

Why is it ALL of the children from every other nation in the world have no problem learning English and passing classes? Any its not all Hispanics, it just seem to be Mexicans

Maybe, because these other ethnic groups want to be American. They are not invading us as the Mexicans are.

Originally Posted by MontereySherry

Maybe, because these other ethnic groups want to be American. They are not invading us as the Mexicans are.

Exactly what I think too. All other ethnic groups except MEXICANS come here to be American. Mexicans could care a less. It's just sad that Mexicans are always lumped in conveniently with Hispanics. No other Hispanic country acts like this, nor do they want to be associated with Mexicans.

Quote:
"Nearly 56 percent of students in New Mexico are Hispanic. The law requires officials to create a formal advisory council and a Hispanic Education Liaison to focus on education policy and develop strategies to improve achievement.

The liaison will work with the advisory council to serve as a resource for the 89 school districts throughout the state, Montoya said.

The act also requires the Public Education Department to provide an annual report on the status of Hispanic education.

Officials will track college remediation and retention rates in New Mexico AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES in addition to other statistics such as graduation and drop-out rates."


This is what we came to dread during the Vietnnam era - it was called "mission creep". A small group of "civilian advisors" dispatched to any area of S.E. Asia always seemed to quickly grow into a battalion of U.S. soldiers. I wonder if the taxpayers of New Mexico realize they will be paying for their Public Education Departmentment to track "the status of Hispanic education" across the entire country? Tragic.

added:

"The school district does a "nice job of integrating those immigrant students in school," said Barfoot. "We have a really good program here for Hispanic students and Native American students both for home language and English academic acquisition."

The district also requires every new teacher to become certified to teach English as a second language within five years of becoming employed."

Not to mention the intitial expense to the people of this particular district for "every new teacher to become certified to teach English as a second language within five years of becoming employed."

I don't know why it would be so important to track "the status of Hispanic education". Other than perhaps to have another vehicle with which to channel more funds to their education.

See?

Keep them talking.

All they care about is ONE RACE, that just happens to be THEIR RACE.

Hence, la raza - the race.

Someone NEEDS to get these racists into an honorable Bible study, where they study God's Word chapter by chapter and verse by verse, with the true Hebrew and Greek translations of many of the words that are not translated properly to the truest and most complete meaning of the word.