ENgaging LAtino Communities for Education ith census figures con- This rapid growth draws atten- firming that Latinos have tion to the fact that America’s educa- What is ENLACE? become the nation’s tion systems are not prepared to Wlargest minority group, the numbers serve the needs of an increasingly • National initiative to increase make it clear that addressing the diverse student body. Latinos have the number of Latino high educational needs of the United among the highest school dropout school and college graduates States’ fastest growing community is rates. Only 63 percent of Latinos ages vital to the national interest. By 25-29 have completed high school. • In Spanish, ENLACE means 2025, the U.S. will have the second In 1999, the W.K. Kellogg “link” or “weave together” largest Latino population in the Foundation launched an initiative world; and 1 of every 5 jobs will be to increase the number of Latino • 13 sites in 7 states are linking held by Latinos. graduates from high school and colleges, K-12 schools, and By 1999, more than 7.5 million college. Called ENgaging LAtino communities in new Latinos were enrolled in K-12 pub- Communities for Education, or partnerships lic schools, representing 16 percent ENLACE, the initiative is strength- of all students. Already, in ening the K-16 educational pathway California and Texas – the nation’s by increasing student supports at largest states – Latino youngsters key transition points where youth make up 50 and 40 percent, respec- can experience problems that lead tively, of K-12 students. to failure. The initiative is made up of 13 higher edu- Strengthening K-16 pathway Each ENLACE grantee is addressing cation/community partnerships based in weaknesses at these transition points Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New ENLACE is focusing on transition points with activities that fit their local context. Mexico, New York, and Texas. About 75 along the K-16 pathway, such as from 8th Some sites are devoting significant percent of the nation’s Latino college stu- to 9th grade or from 12th grade to the resources across much of the entire path- dents are concentrated in these states. first year of college. Current educational way. Examples of activities at critical ENLACE is essentially about tapping approaches generally target specific parts transition points include the following: into the energy and resources of partner of this pathway and are disconnected institutions and communities to unleash from one another. As students move Elementary to Middle School from elementary to middle to high the skills and learning ability of Latino • ¡ENLACE Miami! – In Miami, elemen- school, there is often little continuity or youth. At several sites, the initiative rep- tary schools that are part of a cluster cohesiveness. resents the first time that Latino educa- serving a concentrated Latino student tion has been placed at the center of com- munity-wide efforts to work across social, economic, and educational boundaries. “The initiative is very timely,” says Ricardo Maestas, executive assistant to the president at the University of New Mexico. “I’m glad to see the Kellogg Foundation working to turn around the dropout rate by focusing its energies as well as its money, because we’re at a crisis.” ENLACE Phase II Implementation Grantees State Lead Institution ENLACE Partnership Arizona Arizona State University, Tempe Metro Phoenix ENLACE California Santa Ana College, Santa Ana Santa Ana ENLACE University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara ENLACE Y AVANCE: Students & Families Empowered for Success Florida Florida International University, Miami ¡ENLACE Miami! University of South Florida, Tampa ENLACE of Hillsborough County Illinois Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago Chicago ENLACE Partnership New Mexico New Mexico State University, Las Cruces Southern New Mexico ENLACE Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Northern New Mexico ENLACE University of New Mexico, Albuquerque ENLACE Albuquerque Together, these three university-led partnerships have ENLACE in New Mexico Collaborative formed a separate statewide partnership: New York Lehman College of the City University of New York, Bronx Bronx Educational Alliance ENLACE Texas St. Edward’s University, Austin Austin ENLACE Partnership Southwest Texas University, San Marcos Central/South Texas ENLACE Partnership University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, Brownsville Alliance for Science Education Brownsville population offer special training to par- Community College Transfer ENLACE partnerships are led by Hispanic ents so that they can be better advo- • Chicago ENLACE Partnership – The Serving Institutions (HSIs) – accredited col- cates, while students receive special lead partner university signed dual leges and universities where Hispanic stu- attention in science, math, and reading. admissions agreements with five com- dents make up at least 25 percent of full- munity college partners. Post-second- time enrollments. ENLACE builds on pre- Middle to High School ary staff and community members will vious initiatives focusing on Historically • Bronx Educational Alliance ENLACE – become ENLACE Fellows, developing Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Targeting middle graders and their par- leadership skills while also mentoring Colleges and Universities. Together with ents, this effort capitalizes on communi- younger students. HSIs, these institutions are developing new ty-based organizations to increase par- models of learning for increasingly diverse ent leadership and cultural enrichment. and rapidly growing student populations. Why the Kellogg Foundation? Additionally, ENLACE represents a High School to College The Kellogg Foundation has a long his- Youth and Education investment in part- nerships of post-secondary education • ENLACE Albuquerque – To increase tory of supporting the education and institutions and communities to student supports, Latino university development of young people. Through increase the learning of vulnerable students mentor high school students, 2008, key Youth and Education pro- youth. Fostering such “engaged institu- while tutoring is expanded in schools grams will focus on improving learning tions” is a programming priority—with and a community center. A summer for young people – especially those most the intention that communities and uni- prep program serves as a “bridge” to vulnerable to poor achievement versities, working together for their high school for incoming ninth ENLACE continues the Foundation’s mutual benefit, can address societal graders, who will make visits to college ongoing commitment to Minority- needs and improve the quality of life. campuses for early college awareness. Serving Institutions of higher education. Weaving support for Latino students True to the mean- who come from migrant families. and works as a reading tutor with first ing of the word Vallejo himself once was a migrant stu- graders. “enlace,” ENLACE dent who moved from place to place. “I can help them one-on-one, one in in Hillsborough Now a role model, Vallejo successfully Spanish, one in English,” she says. “That’s County has woven finished his bachelor’s degree at USF the good thing about being bilingual.” together a network and is planning to begin a master’s At pre-K and elementary levels, of schools, educa- degree program. Santa Ana ENLACE targets literacy. tors, community “These students can succeed, with Only 15 percent of Latino fourth- groups, and post- Ansberto Vallejo just a little help,” Vallejo says. graders in Santa Ana schools read at secondary education institutions. Their ENLACE provides financial sup- grade level. In middle schools, the focus primary focus: first-generation Latino port for tutoring and extracurricular is on early college awareness and prepa- students and new immigrants to the activities, such as visits to fine arts and ration. Professors from the University Tampa Bay, Florida, area. science museums. Key partners are of California, Irvine, teach weekly liter- “We want to ease the path to college Hillsborough County Public Schools, ature classes to middle graders. At the for Hispanic students,” says Catherine Hillsborough Community College, and secondary level, “higher education cen- Batsche, vice provost of the University of the Hispanic Services Council, a com- ters” are being created in four high South Florida (USF), the collaborative’s munity-based organization. schools to help students apply to col- lead partner. “Our partners will work Across the nation, ENLACE targets a lege and for financial aid. together to demystify higher education wide range of students. Some are new Additionally, all along the K-16 for students and their families.” immigrants whose first language is pathway, older Latino students mentor The effort is focusing on three clus- Spanish, while others are second- or younger ones. ters of middle and high schools that have third-generation Americans who speak “I see myself as an advantage to the high Hispanic enrollments and dropout little or no Spanish. students in junior high and high rates. Many school coordinators of Kathy Ponce typifies how ENLACE school,” says Alejandro Moreno, a UC, ENLACE activities are migrant education works across the K-16 spectrum. Kathy Irvine, student who tutors students on specialists such as Ansberto Vallejo of lives in Santa Ana, California, where Saturdays. “They see me as a role model, East Bay High School. the school district is 92 percent Latino. a friend. At parent workshops, parents Vallejo and