Empowering Our Youth, Our Girls, to Leadership Roles CABE, Anaheim Grand Ball A April 3 rd :15 to 4:30 p.m. Imelda Trinklein Director of Curriculum & Instruction, McFarland USD Elizabeth Zamora-Mejia, Partner, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR) Dr. Irella Perez, Principal, Inglewood USD, CALSA Board Ofelia Lariviere Assistant Sup, Academic Services, Inglewood USD CALSA Board of Directors, Past President

Introduce Yourself  Introduce yourself, district, position and career goals

April 2013, research report, "Making Education Work for Latinas in the U.S.”  This research study and a companion video were commissioned by actress and philanthropist Eva Longoria, founder of the Eva Longoria Foundation. The foundation works to empower Latinas to reach their full potential through education and entrepreneurship.  The goal of the study was to focus on what DOES work for Latinas in order to help fine-tune their educational experience and help support Latina achievement.  The research was conducted by the Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles at UCLA's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

The study: "Making Education Work for Latinas in the U.S.”  In the 78-page report, researchers examined existing knowledge base about promoting Latina educational success, defined as completing high school and then going on to secure a college degree.  The study examined two large data sets, one national, and one California-based, for predictors of successful educational outcomes for representative samples of Latina youth who have recently been in high school and college.

 After identifying important predictors of success from the existing literature and the examination of current data, the study incorporated case studies of seven young Latinas students.  These students illustrated the pathways of women who are finding their way to educational success through high school, community college, and four year universities.

Why Latinas?  Boosting educational attainment among this population is dependent on a number of factors, but the role of Latinas in engendering such success cannot be underestimated, said the study's principal investigator, Patricia Gándara, a UCLA professor of education and co-director of the Civil Rights Project, one of the nation's most highly regarded research institutions on civil rights.  "Latinas are the linchpin of the next generation — how a child fares in school is highly correlated with their mother's education. If the cycle of under- education is to be broken for the Latino population, it will depend to a large extent on changing the fortunes of young women."

The study’s predictors for Latina students’ success in education  Latino/Latina teachers and counselors as role models  Involvement in extracurricular activities  Good math scores in elementary school  Bilingualism  Parent engagement

Predictor: Latino role models  Among other findings, young Latinas who have Latina and Latino teachers and counselors as role models have a much better chance of educational success.  This is not necessarily true for Latino males). CITATION: Gandara, Osegueara, Huber, Locks, Ee, Molina, Making Education Work for Latinas in the U.S., Apr

Predictor: Role models  Studies show minority teachers more likely to identify talents in students from own racial or ethnic group.  “My Spanish teacher had also come from immigrant parents and she had gone to college and become a teacher and established herself. I thought of her has a role model figure because growing up, I didn’t have a lot of females in my family going into higher education.... I looked up to her a lot.”

Predictor: Extracurricular activities  Another predictor is involvement in extracurricular activities. The report shows that involvement in extracurricular activities contributes to a sense of "belonging" at school, something researchers found missing for many Latinas.  Exposes Latinas to students of higher socio- economic and educational backgrounds; students learn from each other

Predictors: math and bilingualism  Having good math scores in elementary school and being bilingual were positive indicators of Latina college- going success.

Predictor: Parent Engagement  The study found that a strong belief by parents that their daughters will complete high school was associated with increased high school graduation and college attendance rates among Latinas.  Parent support of their daughters is key to Latinas forming higher education goals

Parents need to know how powerful they are  Most Latinas who do well in school and go on to college name their parents as the key source of their belief in themselves and their abilities.  In order to steer their daughters toward high school graduation and college, parents need specific knowledge of U.S. schooling, how it operates, and what role parents can play in helping their children navigate the system.  There needs to be a much more systemic effort to impart this critical information to parents.

Summary of study’s findings  Although there is relatively little research that focuses specifically on Latinas, as opposed to Latinos generally or all students, it is possible to briefly summarize the existing research on the student and institutional characteristics likely associated with successful educational outcomes for Latinas.  Aside from having parents who are not poor and who have higher levels of education, (things that are out of the control of both students and schools), these are as follows:

Summary of findings (cont.)  Early school aptitude (which can be fostered both in preschool and by parents), including success in mathematics, can lead to placement in GATE and other programs for high achievers, and ultimately result in being tracked in college preparatory curricula.  A strong belief in one’s ability to succeed (self- efficacy), and early, high expectations to complete high school and go to college are powerful predictors of those outcomes, and can also be fostered in the home or by significant adults in a student’s life.  Access to Latino/a role models, like teachers and counselors who serve as crucial role models and can provide guidance to parents and students

Summary of findings (cont.)  Extracurricular activities are an important way for students to interact informally with academically engaged (and sometimes more diverse) peers, and create sense of belonging  Need for qualified personnel, most commonly counselors, to impart knowledge to Latino students and their parents about how and even why to apply to college, and how to finance a postsecondary education.

Summary of findings (cont.)  Being bilingual may hold an advantage for Latinas with respect to college-going as does developing a level of comfort both Latino and mainstream cultures.  This is often the result of attending desegregated schools, or otherwise having significant contact with the mainstream of society.  While teenage pregnancy is major impediment to high school completion and college going for Latinas, there is general agreement that young women with clear goals to go to college are less likely to become pregnant than those without such goals

A starting point…  The findings of this study, focusing on Latina students specifically, can be the starting point for a deeper discussion of ideas, plans and actionable items to move the education agenda forward for Latina students.  access/underrepresented-students/making-education- work-for-latinas-in-the-u.s/gandara-longoria-report pdf

What is our Purpose?  As an educator, what is my role in empowering our youth, our girls, to leadership roles?  How do we create an environment that encourages them to be bold and take calculated risks?

Conversation  Identify what we can do to help Latina students finish High School, attend college and become successful

Call to Action  The purpose of this workshop is not awareness, it is a call to action! What can we do right now?  Focus is on Latinas, our youth…What can be done as a district, school, classroom? Parent training, student symposium, mentoring program, etc.

Picking up the torch  As educators, we have a collective responsibility to do all we can to help. We cannot wait for someone else to pick up the torch.  Those of us who are here right now have heard the call, the torch is being handed to each of us. Take it and light fires. Take a vow to do to take action.

MISSION: To increase the number of capable and credible Latina women in the higher ranks of education serving students

Why….  Only 8% of CA superintendents are Latina/o  Of the 8%, (73% Latino, 27% Latina)

GOALS  To deliver content focused on personal development that is relevant to our women members.  To create an environment that encourages women to be bold and take calculated risks.  To provide events (in person & virtual) that promote networking among our women members.

Be: Competent Capable Confident Questions?

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