ABSTRACT
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed that in math and reading, Latino students continue to score far below the national average. Latinos are significantly younger than the majority. In 2013, their median age was 28 compared with 43 for non-Hispanic Whites. In terms of school enrollment, Latino representation in K-12 education has grown nationally. The projection that Latinos will become more numerous in the next few years has brought about great paranoia among politicians, policy makers, business owners, school administrators, and government officials. The data are analyzed within three groups of Latinos: foreign-born, first-generation, and second-generation. Data reveal that foreign-born Latinos are more likely to be dropouts. The twenty-first century presents new challenges as we enter a period marked by dynamic processes of globalization, high mobility, and a massive influx of modern technologies in all spheres of life.
