Louis G. Tornatzky, Harry P. Pachon, and Celina Torres, National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators and the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
August 2003
Abigail and Stephan Thernstrom, in their important new book No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning, compare contemporary Hispanic student achievement to that of Italian immigrants in the 1920s. They ask whether Hispanics, now the nation's largest minority group, will also become indistinguishable from the white majority in terms of academic achievement and time spent in school? Or will they become part of a persistent education underclass? Closing Achievement Gaps: Improving Educational Outcomes for Hispanic Children is a road map for avoiding the latter fate. It takes a clear-eyed view of high standards, testing, and accountability, and eschews identity politics in favor of a realistic assessment of some of the causes of the Hispanic achievement gap. We especially like its call for giving school leaders more flexibility in personnel, budget, and curricular matters. A solid piece of work and welcome antidote to the race mongering that passes in some quarters for education policy. Check it out at http://www.trpi.org/PDF/Closing_Achievement_Gaps.pdf.