U.S. schools are not meeting the educational needs of America's fastest-growing female minority population -- Latinas -- according to a report released by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation.

This comprehensive report, ¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can: Latinas in School,reviews the educational (K-12) status and progress of Latinas. It explores the cultural interaction between America's Hispanic children and the schools they attend. Authored by Angela B. Ginorio and Michelle Huston, the report looks at Latinas and how their futures -- or "possible selves" -- are influenced by their families, their culture, their peers, their teachers, and the media.

According to the report, Hispanic girls and boys suffer similar educational challenges in the schools they attend compared to their White and Asian counterparts, and urges schools to pay closer attention to the problems faced by both Latinas and Latinos. The report also notes variations within the Latina community according to culture of origin and region.

The report offers a number of strong recommendations and new approaches.

State-specific data is available for Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, New York, and Texas.

Report Introduction (PDF)

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Questions? Comments? Please contact AAUW Research at foundation@aauw.org with any feedback or questions.

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