Hundreds of Parents Expect to Attend Town Hall Meeting on Latino Graduation - Event will explore keys to improving graduation rates for Colorado’s Latino students

“Tonight, hundreds of Colorado parents are expected to attend a town hall meeting at Manual High School to discuss the keys to increasing the low graduation rate among Colorado’s Latino students, the state’s second-largest student population. Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options, a national organization committed to improving educational outcomes for Latino children, is sponsoring the event.

“Parents and the community need to understand the keys to high school graduation because it is a ticket to economic, social and community success,” said Van Schoales, program officer at the Piton Foundation. “Not graduating high school leaves kids very few chances to live a life full of greater opportunity.”

In 2006, Latinos had the lowest graduation rate of any ethnicity in Colorado with only 56 percent receiving their degrees, according to the Colorado Department of Education. In the Denver public school district, the number was worse with only 44 percent of Latinos graduating.

“If parents know about the drop-out crisis in Colorado, they can explore the challenges and seek the answers to help their children succeed,” said Luis Villareal, executive director of Save Our Youth. “Parents can learn how to navigate the educational system and uncover the school choices that exist.”

Hundreds of parents are expected to attend this town hall meeting. Hispanic CREO has held similar meetings in other states including Arizona, Texas and Florida. Colorado has the seventh largest Hispanic or Latino population in the country, according to the 2005 Census report.

“Latinos are the most under-educated minority group in the United States. Many communities, including several in Colorado, are feeling the impact of this crisis,” said Maite Arce, vice president of Hispanic CREO. “We need to empower these parents with information and resources so they can become self-advocates for their children.”

Participants in the town hall meeting, in addition to Schoales, Villareal and Griffin, include President of the DPS Board Teresa Pena, Director of the Colorado State Parents Coalition Richard Garcia, President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools Jim Griffin, Director of the Padres Unidos Pam Martinez and Rocky Mountain News writer Tina Greigo. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at Manual High School at 1700 E. 28th Ave. in Denver.

“Children arriving in high school three to four grade levels behind in reading and math skills – the core competencies – is ultimately our biggest challenge,” said Griffin. “Parents need to understand the signals and indicators of what will predict their kids’ dropping out. This meeting is a step towards that.”

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

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