Posts Tagged: low income
Low-income Latino students less likely to take on student debt to attend college
The Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) develop an analysis, "Less Debt, More Equity: Lowering Student Debt While Closing the Black-White Wealth Gap," which assesses the effect of public policy on the wealth gap that exists between white and Black households. Wealth inequity has surged over the past several decades, resulting in 1 percent of households controlling 42 percent of U.S. wealth. Also, nearly 50 percent of wealth accumulated over the past three decades has gone directly to pockets of the top 0.1.
Meanwhile, the wealth belonging to the bottom 90 percent of U.S. household continues to lessen. People of color, who are historically disenfranchised and overrepresented in the bottom 90 percent, are growing in numbers. In a matter of short decades, the U.S. will be a "minority majority" nation, which will continue to be affected by preexisting wealth divide. Today, the average white family owns $13 for every $1 held by the average black household and white households own $10 for every $1 held by the average U.S. Latino household.
According to the report, black students tend to take on more debt when attaining postsecondary degrees. They, like other students of color, are more likely to borrow money to attend college, which deepens wealth inequalities. With that said, patterns of student debt differ for black and Latinos students. The report focuses specifically on the black-white wealth gap because of historic roots of inequality and student debt's contribution to wealth disparities, but also acknowledges how inequality influences the experiences of other communities of color in the U.S.
Loan debt and barriers to education impact Latinos differently than black and white households. The data revealed that Latinos attend and graduate from college at lower rates than whites and blacks. Consequently, lower rates of college attendance likely contribute to Latino households owning less student loan debt than blacks and whites. Also, evidence suggests that Latino students are more opposed to taking on student loan debt. Interestingly, Latino students are less likely than blacks and whites to take on debt at public institutions, but they're more likely to take on debt at private for-profit institutions, where they're more likely to depart before completion.
The Latino-white wealth gap could be attributed to differences in education attainment. Latinos households have lower college completion rates and lower levels of household wealth. The report suggests that universal debt reduction policies targeted at borrowers making $50,000 and below would only benefit Latinos moderately; instead white families would have greatly benefit. However, reduction policy targeted at those making $25,000 or less would reduce the racial wealth gap for median and low-wealth Latino households. Latinos in the lowest wealth bracket tend to face a number of barriers when seeking higher education, which reduces the likelihood that they will start college or take out loans. Thus, eliminating some cost challenges should spur enrollment.
The report listed that a number of policies that could make a sizable difference in the lives of students of color. They believe debt-free public higher education should be guaranteed for low-income and middle-class students. Institutional accountability and debt forgiveness should be provided for students attending low-quality institutions. There should be incremental debt forgiveness for students locked into public, low-wage professionals. Also, student loans should be discharged in bankruptcy like other forms of consumer debt.
Source: Published originally on LatinPost.com as Low-Income Latino Students Less Likely to Take on Student Debt, Attend College: Report, by By Nicole Akoukou Thompson, December 1, 2015.
US Latinos believe education is one of the nation's most important issues: Report
Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice published a report in Sept., which provided insights into Latinos' thoughts on education. "Latino Perspectives on K-12 Education & School Choice" revealed a number of important discoveries, including one-in-five Latinos (22 percent) naming education as the nation's second most important issue, preceded only by the economy and jobs (27 percent). Also, education was named over immigration (13 percent).
Latinos would like to send their children to charter schools and private schools, yet many are unable, whether it's due to cost or distance. The snapshot of the Latino community revealed Latinos' overwhelming support of education saving accounts (ESAs), tax-credit scholarships and school vouchers, which is far more than the general market. According to the report, southern Latinos were more likely to be concerned about education, compared to Latinos living in the west (27 percent compared to 16 percent). Also, young (30 percent) and middle-age Latino respondents (17 percent) were more likely to be concerned about education than seniors (10 percent).
U.S. Latinos also have firm opinions when it comes to K-12 education. Approximately 53 percent of Latinos stated K-12 education was on the "wrong track," while just 38 percent indicated that it was headed in the "right direction." However, Latinos were more likely than the general market to say K-12 education was "going in the right direction" (38 percent compared to 32 percent). Overall, roughly 60 percent of the nation indicated K-12 education was on the "wrong track," compared to just 53 percent of Latino respondents.
The numbers showed that middle-age Latino respondents (45 percent) and low-income (47 percent) were more positive than younger Latinos (31 percent) and middle-income (32 percent) and high-income Latinos (26 percent) about the direction of K-12 education. The report also showed that Latinos are weary about federal involvement in K-12 education, and 73 percent have a dim view of the federal government's performance in K-12 education.
With regards to education spending, fewer than 14 percent of Latino respondents could estimate the correct per-student spending range for the national average, suggesting that Latinos need to learn more about current expenditures. Also, the survey's results show that Latinos are less likely to say public school spending is "too low."
Latino respondents were far more likely to give private schools in their communities high marks (82 percent), compared to their local public schools (50 percent). Nearly half of Latinos selected private schools as the ideal educational option for their child (46 percent), while just 32 percent of respondents chose regular public school. Just 12 percent selected charter schools and 9 percent chose homeschooling as their top choice. However, enrollment patterns in the U.S. don't match expectations. Only 3.5 percent of students enrolled in private schools are Latino, and just 4.5 percent of student in public charter schools. Researchers were unable to find reliable data regarding how many Latino students are homeschooled. Around 92 percent of Latino K-12 students attend public schools.
While 62 percent of Latinos support charter schools, 26 percent of Latino survey participants said they opposed charter schools. Nonetheless, Latinos were more likely to support charter schools than the national average. However, 53 percent of Latino respondents were against state government interventing to convert "low-performing" schools to charters schools. Instead, they believe vouchers and scholarships would be valuable contributions to affected schools and families.
More than 70 percent of Latinos favor school vouchers, and were more likely than other respondents to express an "intensely favorable view toward vouchers." Likewise, 73 percent of Latinos supported an "education savings account" system (ESA), and they were significantly more supportive of ESAs than non-Hispanic whites (57 percent). Additionally, Latino respondents were nearly five times as likely to support a tax-credit scholarship program. Moreover, Latino respondents (56 percent) voiced support of the Common Core State Standards (Common Core).
The report suggests that a candidate is more likely to win the Latino vote if they have affirming positions on school vouchers, ESAs and Common Core.
Source: Published originally on latinpost.com as US Latinos believe education is one of the nation's most important issues: Report, by Nicole Akoukou Thompson, November 10, 2015.
Low-income Latino students less likely to take on student debt, attend college
The Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) develop an analysis, "Less Debt, More Equity: Lowering Student Debt While Closing the Black-White Wealth Gap," which assesses the effect of public policy on the wealth gap that exists between white and Black households. Wealth inequity has surged over the past several decades, resulting in 1 percent of households controlling 42 percent of U.S. wealth. Also, nearly 50 percent of wealth accumulated over the past three decades has gone directly to pockets of the top 0.1.
Meanwhile, the wealth belonging to the bottom 90 percent of U.S. household continues to lessen. People of color, who are historically disenfranchised and overrepresented in the bottom 90 percent, are growing in numbers. In a matter of short decades, the U.S. will be a "minority majority" nation, which will continue to be affected by preexisting wealth divide. Today, the average white family owns $13 for every $1 held by the average black household and white households own $10 for every $1 held by the average U.S. Latino household.
According to the report, black students tend to take on more debt when attaining postsecondary degrees. They, like other students of color, are more likely to borrow money to attend college, which deepens wealth inequalities. With that said, patterns of student debt differ for black and Latinos students. The report focuses specifically on the black-white wealth gap because of historic roots of inequality and student debt's contribution to wealth disparities, but also acknowledges how inequality influences the experiences of other communities of color in the U.S.
Loan debt and barriers to education impact Latinos differently than black and white households. The data revealed that Latinos attend and graduate from college at lower rates than whites and blacks. Consequently, lower rates of college attendance likely contribute to Latino households owning less student loan debt than blacks and whites. Also, evidence suggests that Latino students are more opposed to taking on student loan debt. Interestingly, Latino students are less likely than blacks and whites to take on debt at public institutions, but they're more likely to take on debt at private for-profit institutions, where they're more likely to depart before completion.
The Latino-white wealth gap could be attributed to differences in education attainment. Latinos households have lower college completion rates and lower levels of household wealth. The report suggests that universal debt reduction policies targeted at borrowers making $50,000 and below would only benefit Latinos moderately; instead white families would have greatly benefit. However, reduction policy targeted at those making $25,000 or less would reduce the racial wealth gap for median and low-wealth Latino households. Latinos in the lowest wealth bracket tend to face a number of barriers when seeking higher education, which reduces the likelihood that they will start college or take out loans. Thus, eliminating some cost challenges should spur enrollment.
The report listed that a number of policies that could make a sizable difference in the lives of students of color. They believe debt-free public higher education should be guaranteed for low-income and middle-class students. Institutional accountability and debt forgiveness should be provided for students attending low-quality institutions. There should be incremental debt forgiveness for students locked into public, low-wage professionals. Also, student loans should be discharged in bankruptcy like other forms of consumer debt.
Source: Published originally on LatinPost.com as Low-Income Latino Students Less Likely to Take on Student Debt, Attend College: Report, by By Nicole Akoukou Thompson, December 1, 2015.
Pollution Unequally Affects Latinos, Immigrant Communities
The findings, from Washington State University published in the journal Social Science Review, are just the latest to correlate minorities and low-income Americans of all ethnic groups to areas of higher air pollution. Of particular concern is particulate matter, the microscopic particles emitted from manufacturing and automobiles that can cause cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, birth defects and a host of other ills.
Non-English-speaking immigrants, who are more likely to be Latino, bear the worst of this burden, lead paper author Raoul Liévanos, Ph.D., an assistant professor of sociology at WSU, told weather.com. The underlying reason for this, he said, is that minority immigrant communities are often clustered near pollution-clogged freeways and industrial areas, a trend spanning back to the city planning developments of the late 1800s.
“It seems to be that there are these important historical residential patterns, really shaped by historical housing policies,” he said. “That really informed how these communities were set up and who is living there now.”
The paper correlated U.S. census data with detailed EPA maps of particulate pollution, including industrial and automobile sources, and found that at the regional level, Latinos were the most-likely to live in areas of high pollution. Other minority groups were also highly affected, as were low-income white Americans.
"That may be suggesting that around freeways and industrial areas, in the regional context, it is, a lot of time, the non-white immigrants that are clustered more closely [to these areas]," Liévanos said. Low-income whites are likely to live in these areas as well, just slightly farther away from the primary sources of contamination.
The findings show an association between Latino communities and pollution and do not attempt to discover the rate of pollution-related diseases among these populations. But the data could serve as a guide to future work investigating the burden of pollution on individuals, Liévanos said. Public-health interventions in these cities should be tailored to non-English speaking populations and these communities should be included in future urban planning processes, he said as well.
The paper, "Race, deprivation, and immigrant isolation: The spatial demography of air-toxic clusters in the continental United States," was published in the November issue of Social Science Research.
Source: Published originally on weather.com as Study: Pollution Unequally Affects Latinos, Immigrant Communities, November 2, 2015.
California failing to produce enough Latino college grads: Future of state economy in jeopardy
The report finds that more Latinos are earning high school diplomas and entering college, but remain underrepresented in every segment of higher education and have significantly lower levels of college degree attainment than other racial/ethnic groups. In fact, only 12% of Latino working-age adults (between 25- and 64-years old) have a bachelor's degree compared with 42% of White adults.
The report asserts that statewide public policies and college and university practices are major barriers to Latino students completing college. A broken college remedial education system, admissions policies that bar the consideration of race/ethnicity, state disinvestment in higher education, and the absence of a statewide plan for higher education are several of the factors contributing to low degree attainment rates for Latinos.
The good news is that Latinos are now more likely to have a high school diploma and complete the college preparatory A-G courses than in years past. They are enrolling in college in larger numbers and are more likely to graduate with a college degree than two decades ago. Each new generation of Latino Californians is more educated than previous ones.
But overall, the educational attainment of the Latino population lags other racial/ethnic groups. Too few Latino students are being prepared to enter college when less than one in three (29%) Latino high school graduates complete the coursework necessary to be eligible applicants to the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems. Even when prepared, eligible applicants are still finding it challenging to secure a spot at some of the state's public universities. At the UC, for example, admission rates for Latinos have declined by 28 points since 1994. Once on a college campus, Latino students, many of whom are first in their families to go to college, do not receive the supports and guidance to transfer and earn a degree on time. The six-year completion rates for Latinos at the California Community Colleges and the California State University, where 76% of Latinos are enrolled, are 39% and 45%, respectively.
The results of the study come as the California economy is facing a shortage of college graduates. “Workforce preparedness continues to be one of the top concerns for the business community. “The State of Higher Education in California – Latino Report” demonstrates the critical need to better prepare Latino students to achieve academic success that meets the demands of our global economy,” said Rob Lapsley, President of the California Business Roundtable. “If we are going to remain competitive, our colleges and universities must do better to address the ongoing barriers that jeopardize Latino students' ability to complete their education and succeed in our 21st Century workplace.”
“The future of our economy and the state will rise or fall on the educational success of Latinos,” said Michele Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “When you realize that one in two children under 18 is Latino and that California is going to face a shortage of 2.3 million college educated workers in the next ten years, then you have to care about increasing the number of Latino students who are prepared for, enroll in and graduate from college.”
California's colleges and universities are not adapting to serve the students in their classrooms. Today's students tend to be first in their families to go to college, work more hours, may be older and may have already started families, and are typically low-income or financially independent. Today's students and the workforce they will enter are different from students and the workforce fifty years ago, but the state's public colleges and universities are taking the same approach to delivering course material and supports which do not meet the needs of today's students or California's economy.
“Simply hoping more Latinos will earn college credentials is not a strategy for meeting California's serious workforce crisis. We need a plan with resources behind it to fix the points at which our colleges and universities are letting promising Latino students fall out of the system,” said Siqueiros.
The report highlights that although Latinos have the greatest graduation success at the University of California relative to their graduation rates at the California Community Colleges and California State University, they are significantly underrepresented in the system. The data suggests this is partly a result of Proposition 209, the 1996 measure that prohibits the state from considering race, sex or ethnicity in employment, contracting and education. An examination of two decades of data revealed that admission rates for Latinos have declined by 28 points overall, 45 points at UC Berkeley and 46 points at UCLA -- far in excess of the drops in admission rates of other racial/ethnic groups.
“The disparities highlighted in this report are critical as we plan the future of the state of California,” stated Thomas A. Saenz, MALDEF President and General Counsel and Chair of the board of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “The report should lead to immediate legislative and administrative efforts to address the serious education gaps identified, which threaten our state's continued leadership nationally and globally.”
The report first and foremost calls on the Governor, legislature and college leaders for an overarching plan to close opportunity gaps between Latinos and their White and Asian peers and address the looming workforce crisis.
The report outlines a series of recommendations to help increase college access and success:
- Ensure all colleges successfully move students through pre-college level courses, quickly and with improved retention rates
- Provide students with clear transfer pathways to four-year degrees
- Expand college knowledge in middle and high school and invest in support services students need to succeed
- Fund colleges for both enrollment growth and successful outcomes
- Strengthen financial support options for low-to moderate-income college students Allow California's public universities to use race/ethnicity as one of many factors in weighing an applicant's qualifications for admission.
California is undergoing one of the largest demographic, cultural and economic transformations in its history,” said Siqueiros. “Whether we address or ignore the challenges and opportunities of strengthening educational success for the burgeoning Latino population will define our economic and democratic success as a state and nation for decades to come.”
Source: College Campaign.org press release, Report Finds California Failing to Produce Enough Latino College Grads: Future of State Economy in Jeopardy, by Audrey Dow, April 29, 2015