Education & Career Exploration
Latino studnets make up 28% of the Boston Public School population, and their MCAS scores and school achievement are among the lowest: only 50% of Latino 12th graders have passed the MCAS, putting them at serious risk of not graduating this year. The ever-rising drop-out rates – now at 10% – are the highest of any minority group in the Boston Public Schools. With the discouragement so many students now feel regarding the MCAS, along with changes in bilingual education, school officials and educational activists alike expect the number of drop-outs in coming years to increase.
Sociedad Latina has long been concerned with high drop-out rates and low graduation rates among Latino youth. We see the daily effects of a national education crisis that leaves Latino and African-American youth at a long-term disadvantage academically, financially, professionally and socially. Our academic support programs provide middle and high school youth with a quiet, safe place to study, receive help with homework, build skills, and get help with the college application process. Our educational programs help build a culture of learning, support study skills, and connect families to the educational system.