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Introduction
In the very near future, Latino students will become the majority in California's public schools and because of their great numbers and presence, the pattern of lackluster academic achievement must be a major concern of teachers, school leaders, and policy makers. Despite having made great strides in narrowing the gap that separated them from their White classmates during the 1960s and 1970s, the academic progress of Latino students declined in the mid-1980s.
Although there has been some improvement in the achievement of Latinos during the past three decades, their achievement gains in relation to the achievement of White students has been insignificant. The poor academic achievement of Latino students is indicative of a complex, multifaceted problem that must be addressed because as the Latino student population continues to grow, their poor achievement especially in mathematics and reading has significant implications not only for California's public educational system, but also for the state's and nation's social, political, and economic future.
According to the Federal Interagency on Child and Family Statistics (2009), although there are a variety of subjects and many combinations of subjects by which to gauge academic progress, reading achievement and mathematics achievement data not only serve as valid indicators of scholastic success, but also are legitimate indicators of a student's ability to think, learn, and communicate. For example, the California Department of Education employs a number of tests and assessments in reading and mathematics as a basis for measuring academic progress, such as the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, the California Modified Assessment (CMA), and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).
The STAR program includes California Standards Tests (CSTs) in reading and mathematics, and two of the three subject areas addressed by the CMA deal with reading and mathematics. Additionally, the CAHSEE assessment array includes assessments in mathematics as well as reading. Thus it is safe to conclude that assessments in reading and mathematics comprise the basic foundation upon which student achievement is measured in California. Furthermore, on a national level, academic achievement is again largely based upon student performance in mathematics and reading.
National and California Latino Achievement
National Trends
Although Latino students may have attained some modest gains in scholastic achievement, making gains and closing the achievement gap are...