Federal Policy Briefs

Dec 2009

The focus of this brief is to reconcile what we know with what we hear to inform what we can do to address the realities facing Latino students in a manner integrated into the broader policy agenda and discussions in higher education. This brief takes stock of the current higher education environment and integrates the perspectives of elected officials, students, and service providers from interviews and focus groups with data to better understand the role of Latinos in the future access, persistence, and completion of higher education in the United States and puts this information together to articulate what we can do to address critical policy issues affecting Latino students in the current higher education context.

Jan 2009

Strategic partnerships between industry and community colleges that engage younger Hispanic immigrants can boost our economy by training an important proportion of U.S. workers for future jobs.

Aug 2005

Although the percentage of Latino students receiving financial aid for college is at an all-time high, Latinos receive the lowest average federal aid awards of any racial or ethnic group, according to a new report released August 10, 2005, by Excelencia in Education and the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Feb 2004

Brief describes federal legislation and programs that support higher education and to assess Latino participation in these programs.

Sep 2000

Addressing the educational needs of the fastest growing community in the United States—the Hispanic community—is vital to our national interest. In September 2000, the President’s Advisory Commission and the staff of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans presented a targeted plan of action that addresses early childhood through graduate and professional education. It will take the collective commitment and concentrated action of every sector to raise the educational achievement of all Hispanic students to the same level of excellence as other students in America by 2010.