Educational and Occupational Aspirations and Expectations Among Parents of Middle School Students of Mexican Descent: Family Resources for Academic Development and Mathematics Learning 1

Under achievement and disproportionate rates of school failure among Latino populations have been widely documented (e.g., Haycock & Navarro, 1988; Orum, 1986; Valencia, 1991). Although much of the research intended to understand and ameliorate this problem has focused on literacy (Moll, 1992), a pattern of generally low levels of mathematics achievement and participation among populations of Mexican descent is an equally distressing matter. In fact, recent efforts to reform mathematics instruction have generated an emphasis on communication as a goal of mathematics instruction, resulting in an increased commonality of purpose with literacy instruction (Henderson, Landesman, Nur, & St. John, 1992).