Amended in Assembly March 24, 2014

Amended in Assembly March 18, 2014

Amended in Assembly March 3, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 109

Introduced by Assembly Member Brown

February 21, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 109—Relative to Latino Education and Advocacy Days.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 109, as amended, Brown. Latino Education and Advocacy Days.

This measure would declare the last week of March every year as a statewide week of advocacy for Latino education.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, The strength of the California education system
and its place in a competitive global economy will depend largely
on future educational outcomes among Latino students; and

WHEREAS, Latinos emerged as the largest begin insert ethnic end insert minority
group in the United States in the new millennium; and

WHEREAS, Statistically, since 1998, Latino children have
become the largest begin insert ethnic end insert minority student demographic in United
States public schools begin insert and, according to the National Conference
of State Legislatures, more than 50 percent of all K-12 pupils in
California are Latino end insert ; and

WHEREAS, Both Latino students and teachers have a high
mobility rate, are located in racially segregated communities with
high poverty rates, and attend schools with fewer resources,
staffing, and programs begin insert . However, despite these challenges, Latino
students have shown an impressive focus on higher education end insert ; and

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WHEREAS, Latino students have the highest dropout rate, score
among the lowest on achievement tests, and have low college
enrollment rates; and

end delete begin delete

WHEREAS, One-half of all Latino students currently fail to
graduate from high school, and have had little progress in
increasing college graduation rates over the last few decades; and

end delete begin insert

WHEREAS, Latino students’ college enrollment directly after
high school has grown from fewer than one-half to more than
two-thirds over the last decade; and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, Among California’s Latino students, only three in
10 high school graduates complete the A-G curriculum compared
to nearly one-half of white high school graduates and 65 percent
of Asian Pacific Islander high school graduates; and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, Latino students, who make up 47 percent of the
traditional college-going age population of 18 to 24 years,
inclusive, are underrepresented in every system of higher education
in California, representing only 39 percent of total undergraduate
enrollment at the California Community Colleges, 33 percent at
the California State University, and 20 percent at the University
of California; and

end insert begin insert

WHEREAS, Latino students also continue to have difficulty
performing on standardized testing, accessing elite colleges and
universities, and graduating with a postsecondary degree or a
graduate degree; and

end insert

WHEREAS, According to Current Population Survey data
released by the United States Census Bureau in March 2010, out
of 100 Latino males and 100 Latina females in elementary school,
61 Latino males and 64 Latina females graduate from high school,
9.2 Latino males and 11 Latina females graduate with a bachelor
of arts or a bachelor of science degree, 3.0 Latino males and 3.6
Latina females graduate with a professional or graduate degree,
and 0.7 Latino males and 0.4 Latina females graduate with a
doctorate degree; and

begin insert

WHEREAS, Many other ethnic minority groups that struggle
with educational attainment could benefit from the best practices
that have resulted in the improved educational outcomes for Latino
students; and

end insert

WHEREAS, Latino students represent an opportunity to increase
diversity, strengthen the tax, labor, consumption, and investment
pool, and increase ties with Mexico and Latin America; and

WHEREAS, On March 27, 2014, California State University,
San Bernardino, College of Education will host its 5th Annual
Latino Education and Advocacy Days summit; now, therefore, be
it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the last week of March every year is
hereby declared as a statewide week of advocacy for Latino
education; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.