White House Conference Highlights Hispanic CREO

“On Sept. 24, the work of the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options was featured during the first-ever Conference on Education in the Hispanic Community, presented by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The event detailed the educational successes achieved by the Hispanic community, but demonstrated that there is still much room for improvement.

“Education is the fundamental issue in determining whether rising generations of Hispanics - and all students - will live in the full embrace of the American dream,” said Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. “This is a moral commitment to prepare every student for a productive, fulfilling life.”

Hispanic CREO’s work to bring school choice to more families was highlighted by the Secretary and was the centerpiece for a number of workshops during the conference. Hispanic CREO field organizers - Rocio Diaz, Liliana Hutcheson and Christina Caro - presented a session that explored the “Capture, Educate, Motivate, Mobilize” organizing strategy that Hispanic CREO employs in its states. In another session, Maite Arce, Hispanic CREO vice president, discussed the need to expand parental options as a key to solving the education crisis for Latino students.

“Today’s young Hispanics are the first generation that is expected not to do better than their parents,” said Arce. “This is not only a tragedy for our Hispanic community, but it is a disaster for our nation. Without improving our educational system, we will see a lack of skilled, productive workers and our economy will suffer.”

“Why do less than half of Hispanic and African-American fourth graders have basic reading skills, as defined by the Nation’s Report Card? That’s 700,000 students who can barely read! And why do only half of minority students graduate from high school on time?” asked Spellings.

Hispanic students in the 4th and 8th grades have dramatically improved their test scores since the passing of No Child Left Behind, according to the Nation’s Report Card released on Sept. 25. Hispanics’ scores in reading and math are now at an all-time high on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

“Hispanic CREO recognizes that NCLB has provided low-income and minority students with educational services, information, and opportunities that they have never had before,” said Arce. “More needs to be done to bring school choice and accountability to our nation’s educational system. We urge Congress to reauthorize NCLB to ensure that this happens.”

The U.S. Congress is preparing to debate the reauthorization of the NCLB law and is expected to make a decision within the next month.

ABOUT HISPANIC CREO

Hispanic CREO is the only organization in the United States committed to improving the educational outcomes of Latino children by empowering parents through school choice. More information about the organization can be found at www.hcreo.org/.

Contact: Robert Fanger P: 317-410-7668 E: robert@fangerpr.com “

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