Navigating around educational road blocks: Mentoring for Pre-K to 20+ Latino/a students
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N a v i ga t i n g a r o u n d e d u c a t i o n a l r o a d b l o c k s : Me n t o r i n g for Pr e - K t o 2 0+ L a t i n o /a s t u d e n t s
April M. S chueths a , * and Mi g u e l A . C a r ra nza b a
Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA.
b
University of Missouri-Kansas City, MO.
*Corresponding author.
Abstract Institutional disadvantages at every educational level for Latinos/as create a shortage of Latino/a professionals, which in turn creates a paucity of mentors for the fastest-growing student population. This review examines peer-reviewed literature focused on mentoring Latinos/as from Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) through professional settings, which is also known as the Pre-K to 20þ Pathway. Because of challenges in measuring program outcomes and the informal nature in which many mentoring relationships for Latinos/as take place, methodological limitations within the current Latino/a mentoring literature exist. Findings should be viewed with cautious optimism, but indeed as the foundation for establishing a more robust body of knowledge. Latino Studies (2012) 10, 566–586. doi:10.1057/lst.2012.43 Keywords: Latinos/as; education; mentoring; P-20þ Pathway; disadvantage; upward mobility
Introduc ti on The vast majority of Latino/a students in the US educational system are forced to overcome formidable and undeniable roadblocks throughout their entire educational experience, beginning with Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) and continuing through graduate education and beyond. Young Latino/a children are currently r 2012 Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 1476-3435 Latino Studies Vol. 10, 4, 566–586 www.palgrave-journals.com/lst/
Navigating around educational road blocks
the largest and fastest-growing segment in the United States and their educational needs “constitute an urgent demographic imperative” (Garcia and Jensen, 2009, 1). Opportunities for Latino/a educational equity and upward mobility are directly intertwined with the fate of the United States and its place within the larger global landscape. Yet, educational and career indicators suggest that Latino/a potential is being squandered by the United States. This in turn creates a scenario where there are few Latino/a mentors to support the next generation of Latino/a youth. Latinos/as remain concentrated at the bottom of the labor market with the lowest educational attainment of any racial or ethnic group, especially Latinos/as who are foreign born (Saenz, 2010). Latino/a children experience disproportionately high rates of poverty and are underrepresented in early childhood education programs. Latino/a youth have the highest secondary school drop-out rates when compared with other racial and ethnic groups (KewalRamani et al, 2007). Latino/a students have modest rates of college enrollment and completion at both 2-year and 4-year institutions, with rates particularly low at 4-year colleges (Fry, 2002). Students who are undocumented are often barred from attending post-secondary education altogether (Abrego, 2006; Chavez et al, 2007). Among Latino/a students
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