By Ashleigh Panoo | Fresno Bee | APR. 12, 2022 | Photo by Randall Benton
A new bill introduced in Congress this week would grant $150 million to school districts and colleges, many of which are in the central San Joaquin Valley, to help Latino students go to college.
The HERE Act, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, would address the gap in college attendance and completion rates for Latino students, which lag behind the white population. About 20% of Latino adults 25 years and older in California have an associate degree or higher, compared to 54% of white adults, according to ¡Excelencia in Education!, which uses information from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the first time in 20 years, due to decreasing enrollment, the U.S. lost 10 of its Hispanic-serving institutions or colleges where 25% or more of students are Hispanic or Latino. Fresno State, Fresno City College, and all other community colleges in the Valley are designated as Hispanic-serving institutions.
The HERE Act would create partnerships between K-12 schools that enroll 25% or more Hispanic or Latino students with those colleges to create a college-going culture, award scholarships, and address barriers to education such as child care, transportation, and food insecurity. It would also emphasize teaching as a profession in hopes students would remain in the Valley and address the nationwide teacher shortage.
To foster a sense of belonging in higher education, schools could create mentoring programs and peer networks, and advisories, according to the bill language.
About 68% of students enrolled at Fresno Unified School District are Hispanic or Latino, according to district data.
The act has support from California Community College Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley. He said the legislation would expand dual enrollment pathways and reduce unit accumulation, “which are critical strategies to increasing degree completion.”
Ortiz Oakley said the bill would also provide grants for non-tuition-related expenses.
“We look forward to working with Senator Padilla to advance this important legislation on behalf of our students,” he said in a news release.
The bill still has several hurdles to overcome. If the House Committee on Education and Labor approves it, it still must be passed by the House and Senate before the president signs it.
Latino students are more likely than the general population to be the first in their family to go to college, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. In 2016, 44% of Latino students were first-generation, compared to 29% of overall students.
U.S. Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón said early investment would help students feel prepared when it comes to college.
“Compared to other demographics, many of them (Latino students) are first-generation Americans and do not have the first-hand experience or the benefit of guidance from parents regarding the college experience in the U.S.,” she said in a news release. “Many of them also face financial difficulties that further complicate their pursuit of a college degree.”
