Keywords

Latin, Youth, Education, Drop-out

Abstract

An ongoing concern of educators and community members is the disproportionately high amounts of Latinx students dropping out of high school in the United States. Although there has been notable research done and action taken, the problem still remains. Lack of familial support, discrimination, and residence in low-income areas all contribute to the low retention rates of Latinx youth on track to graduate high school. As a result, youth who do not complete their education and set their sights on career goals have a harder time with employment, communicating in their society, and tend to show higher levels of engagement in gangs and criminal activity. Parent workshops and integration programs are a best practice for eliminating some of the familial and cultural barriers that Latinx youth face through increasing communication channels and making information more inclusive of Latin cultures.