Creating a College Culture for Latino Students

Concha Delgado Gaitan, PhD, is an award-winning ethnographic researcher and professor of sociocultural studies in education. She received the George and Louise Spindler award for her contributions to the field of Anthropology and Education from the Council of Anthropology and Education of the American Anthropological Association. Her early career as a teacher and school principal informs her later work as a practicing anthropologist in communities and professor at the University of California, Davis. Concha has also worked in the field of public health education in Latino communities, combining that interest with her dedication to issues of social justice and education. She is a national and international speaker as well as a consultant on the numerous topics that inspire her work. Among her many scholarly publications are her books where she presents her work as an ethnographer working with disenfranchised families and communities toward their empowerment and extending practical lessons to educators: (1) The Power of Community, (2) Protean Literacy, (3) Crossing Cultural Borders, (4) Literacy for Empowerment, (5) School and Society, (6) Involving Latino Families in the School, (7) Building Culturally Responsive Classrooms, and this most current one (8) Creating a College Culture for Latino Students. In a different book, Prickly Cactus, she turns the lenses inward to look at the role of family and community in her life during a time of major health crisis. Concha works and lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband Dudley Thompson. For more information, please go to www.conchadelgadogaitan.com or contact Concha at concha@conchadg.com.

Acknowledgments About the Author 1. Introduction 2. Influences in Getting Latinos to College Geographic, Cultural and Socioeconomic Conditions Major Hurdles 3. Promising Educational Practices Crafting a College Culture to Socialize Students for College Framing Culture Through Action Research 4. Talking College in Elementary School Supportive Relationships in the School Setting Building College Culture Relationships Between Family and School Practical Strategies for Elementary Grade Educators 5. College Readiness in Middle and Secondary School Developing Study Habits and Academic Language Parent/School/Community Partnerships Transition from Middle to High School Best Practices for Educators 6. Features and Activities of Successful Programs Guidelines for Successful Academic Programs for Latinos Effective Programs Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Upward Bound College Track East Bay Consortium Best Practices for Creating College Culture in Schools 7. Collaborations and Partnerships Hidalgo Independent Schools: A School District Success Story Creating a K-12 College Going Culture in HISD The Families' Role Puente Program Gear Up Program Best Practices for Educators 8. College Planning With Parents 5 "Cs" of Family Engagement Parents Want to Know Partnering With Families and Communities Best Practices for Successful Teacher and Parent Partnerships 9. Students Navigating the College Culture Enduring Social and Emotional Character Support Systems From Early to High School Years 10. Sites for Educators, Students, and Families Resources for Creating a College Culture in Schools Resources for Informing Students and Families Information About Latinos in College Financial Resources References Index

"This book has affirmed that there is much work to be done to equalize the playing field for Latino students in Education. I am very excited that this topic has been researched and that this information will be available for educators and parents. In a time where the Latino population is quickly becoming a majority, we need to make sure that this majority is educated and capable of fulfilling their role in American society. We need to ensure that Latinos also have an equal opportunity to be educated and employed in the future." -- Nelia Correa-Patrick, Teacher "As a parent of a Latina adolescent, it is validating to read about college readiness through a strength-based perspective of the Latino culture. Our young people deserve a chance and this book will help them succeed." -- Sara Hamerla, ESL Teacher "This resource book provides practical strategies to build a college culture for Latino and minority students. By engaging its readers with compelling narratives from students, parents, and educators in addition to real examples of success, district and school administrators will be inspired to create a change in their school and district cultures." -- Margaret Adams, Director of Language, Literacy, and Title I "Creating a College Culture for Latino Students makes an important contribution to educational literature on student access and success. The author is persuasive in describing why Latinos and/or poorer students need curricular and other supports beginning in elementary school to make the cultural goal of college explicit and feasible. This book is especially important in the breadth of its presentation of Latino students and the types of programming that have been helpful to this diverse student population in elementary, middle, and high school programs." -- Laurie Zucker-Conde, ELL Coordinator "A reader of this book need look no further than Dr. Delgado Gaitan's own story to understand the challenges, struggles, and the ultimate joy of accomplishment faced by Latinos in their quest for a college degree. Dr. Delgado Gaitan's writing justifies the need for a comprehensive strategy starting at an early age in a child's life to enhance the dream of a college education. She emphasizes the culture of the path to college that continues once admission is obtained. Recognizing that getting to college is only the first step, she eloquently speaks to the culture needed for completion- leaving home, positive self-appraisal, confidence, and utilization of available resources (financial aid, support groups, study skills, etc.)." -- Rosemary Papa, Del and Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair of Educational Leadership "Concha Delgado Gaitan addresses one of the most challenging equity issues facing educators today, college and career readiness, a key goal of the Common Core State Standards, and, in this case, Latino student access to college. Creating a College Culture for Latino Students' is a must read for every K-12 educator, for parents, and for anyone in a position to influence Latino students to attend college. The inclusion of stories depicting the actual and courageous journeys that students have traveled to achieve their goal is both poignant and impressive. Of particular note, Delgado Gaitan covers the topic of college planning with parents, a critical component of the successful Latino experience. The future of our country is dependent on its Latino students achieving the American dream of college, and this book not only lays out the background, but offers concrete steps, recommendations, and resources for making this dream a reality." -- Dr. Carmella S. Franco, Former Superintendent and State-Appointed Trustee