ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the impact of district elections on educational policy relating to Mexican American students. A change in electoral structure from at-large to district relates to increases in the number of Mexican American school board members. The number of Mexican American school board members relates to higher percentages of Mexican American school administrators and teachers. The chapter examines statistically significant relationships between the interactive term and the policy areas of bilingual equity, gifted and talented equity, and graduation equity. Minorities are more likely to be represented at the lower levels of the bureaucratic system. The percentage of Mexican American teachers had a direct effect on only two of the five second-generation discrimination areas. The relationship between the percentage of Mexican American teachers and the assignment of Mexican American students to bilingual programs was in the expected direction; that is, fewer Mexican American students were assigned to bilingual programs as the percentage of Mexican American teachers increased.
