On Friday, Feb. 3, KJZZ broadcast a one-hour special on the Latino Education Gap.
More than one-third of Latino students are considered English Language Learners and more Latino students are living in poverty than any other minority. These students consistently perform less well on state tests than other groups and have lower graduation rates than whites and Asians. One of the biggest challenges facing schools in the Southwest is how to close this so-called "achievement gap.”
In this hour-long special, KJZZ and Fronteras: the Changing America Desk presented five stories that explore issues with Latino education from preschool to college.
In a special half-hour documentary, we followed one student from first grade through fifth grade and discover that English immersion has caused her to lose more than she gains.
We also looked at pre-K programs that work, an elementary school that is experimenting with dual language, an inspirational high school club that tries to curb the dropout rate and an ASU program that encourages mothers as well as daughters to keep learning.