For Latino students—the largest ethnic group in our nation’s schools—the pandemic threatened to undermine decades of steady educational progress. At the same time, many of the inequities in America’s schools that were present before the pandemic remain. For example, Latino students are less likely to attend a high-performing school than non-Latino white students, and Latinos remain disproportionately underrepresented among America’s teachers.
This report from UnidosUS highlights how policymakers can prioritize the needs of the Latino student population, and in doing so, create a stronger, more equitable education system for all students. Boosting academic achievement, closing the homework gap, and creating inclusive and welcoming schools must be priorities, the report states. Additionally, the report calls on states and the federal government to continue efforts to measure and track student progress and recovery from the pandemic, as well as provide support to school communities to close persistent opportunity gaps.