California’s ability to prepare our K-12 students for success in college and career depends greatly on the outcomes achieved for Latino students, who are the majority of the state’s K-12 student population. In The Majority Report: Supporting the Educational Success of Latino Students in California, Education Trust—West documents how the state’s largest ethnic group fares at every level of the public education system. College Futures provided a grant to support this research. Key findings include:

• High schools that are primarily Latino offer fewer A-G classes, the courses required for eligibility to the state’s four-year public universities.
• With less access to Advanced Placement coursework, Latino students comprised only 40 percent of California’s AP test-takers in 2016, even though they made up more than half of the high school population.
• Latino students are more likely to be required to take remedial courses at colleges and universities than their white peers.

The report highlights promising practices across the state showing it is possible to improve outcomes and close equity gaps. At the same time, Education Trust—West notes that “California needs transformative change to truly support Latino students,” which requires strong leadership and commitment across our educational and civic institutions.

The Majority Report offers several urgent recommendations for higher education and K–12 leaders and community advocates, including:

• Create continuity from K–12 to college, through partnerships between school districts and higher education institutions.
• Use data to improve student outcomes, specifically to identify patterns in achievement, monitor student outcomes, and target students in need of support.
• At the college level, streamline remediation to ensure students can swiftly enter credit-bearing, college-level work.

Read the full report for more insights and recommendations for how California can ensure its public schools prepare all students for success.

Download The Majority Report: Supporting the Educational Success of Latino Students in California

Visit Education Trust—West’s website