Bettering the educational attainment for Latino families: How families view the education of their children

ABSTRACT

The immigrant Latino population of North Central Indiana has hopes of improving youth’s academics, but must overcome tremendous obstacles to do so. The current study addresses the needs of immigrant Latino families while transitioning to the United States. Sixty-three participants were interviewed in association with a three-year ethnographic study. Findings suggest access for Latino parents to the education system is affected by community factors, family values, and school practices. Research demonstrates the importance of understanding the experiences of Latinos in the United States and argues for implementation of culturally relevant practices within schools to aid families in academics.

KEYWORDS:

• community values
• education
• Latino
• barriers
• immigration
• educacion

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lilly Endowment [2006 1434-000].