Note: please note that this page should (a) link back to the issue overview on this topic, (b) be focused either the local, state, national, or global level, and (c) be neutrally presented, based on facts, and include footnotes for each of the items.  See the Research Guide and Information Sources to assist you. 

• Link here to the overview page:  Latino Achievement Gap

Scope of the Problem  factual statements on the extent of the problem in the past, current, or future

• Since parental educational attainment and family income are proven to affect students' prospects for higher education, it is imperative that intervention programs address the lack of resources accessible to all underprivileged students - in Walla Walla, with 34% of the student population identifying as Latino/a, this problem disproportionately affects Latino students.^[1]
• In spite of administrative efforts to increase parental awareness of higher education opportunities, many local Latino parents' unawareness persists due in part to ineffective communication and/or lack of cultural sensitivity in the school environment.^[2]

Past Policy  key legislation and milestones including significant policy and funding shifts, major studies, etc.

• Walla Walla High School (WWHS) launched the Literacy First professional development program, which instructed teachers in techniques to incorporate vocabulary and reading comprehension skills into content instruction. GEAR UP funds paid for the initial training, which has now been adopted by school leaders and renamed Secondary Instructional Practices.^[3]

• The Washington State University Tri-Cities GEAR UP Partnership with 7 Eastern Washington school districts formed in 2002. This partnership included the Walla Walla School District, incorporated due to the district's demographics: at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. 

Current Policy  summary of current policies in the form of legislation, programs, and funding

• WWHS implemented the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program in 2007, which partners a professionally-trained AVID teacher with a class of promising yet disadvantaged students from each grade cohort to participate in an elective class, which teaches organizational and higher level thinking skills to reinforce core subject learning.^[4] Over 80% of participants are Latino.^[5]

• AVID professional development addresses multicultural classroom techniques and encourages self-aware reassessment of which students teachers expect to go to college, beginning a momentum of change in forging a multicultural college-going culture.^[6] 

• The WSU Tri-Cities GEAR UP Partnership currently manages nearly $23 million in grant dollars, comprised of the Harvest of Hope 2, One Vision Partnership 1, and One Vision Partnership 2 grants.^[7]

Key Organizations/Individuals   contacts for public and private organizations and key individuals

• Government
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• Non-Profit - Service Providing
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• Non-Profit - Advocacy/Membership/Network
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• Foundation
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• Other
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Bibliography   web sites, reports, articles, and other reference material