Bilingual Education and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs)
Why is bilingual education important?
Bilingual education is important, especially today, for a variety of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is that Latinos make up the largest minority in the United States. 1 of every 4 US Students, however Latino students also have one of the lowest rates of college completion. Furthermore, “Latino students who have achieved high levels of literacy in both English and Spanish are more likely to go to college, and to 4-year colleges, than those who have lost their native language.” (1) These bilingual options and education suited for Latinos in the United States is essential in all levels of education, from preschool to higher education, and it has come a long way in the past 50 years through activism. However, there is still a lot to accomplish.
A large majority of the Wisconsin Historical Society's Somos Latina Project oral histories discuss the importance of bilingual education especially in their personal experience in Wisconsin. In one interview with a woman named Marie Black she explained to the interviewer the lack of bilingual education in Wisconsin while she was school-age. "And by the time I got to go to school I did have some difficulty with the language at that time and you know of course in those days they didn't have bilingual teachers." (4)
What is an HSI?
Definition: “nonprofit, degree-granting institutions enrolling at least 25% Latina/o fulltime equivalent (FTE) undergraduates and a low-income student population” (5)
Bilingual education is important, especially today, for a variety of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is that Latinos make up the largest minority in the United States. 1 of every 4 US Students, however Latino students also have one of the lowest rates of college completion. Furthermore, “Latino students who have achieved high levels of literacy in both English and Spanish are more likely to go to college, and to 4-year colleges, than those who have lost their native language.” (1) These bilingual options and education suited for Latinos in the United States is essential in all levels of education, from preschool to higher education, and it has come a long way in the past 50 years through activism. However, there is still a lot to accomplish.
- A History of Bilingual Education in the Upper Midwest
A large majority of the Wisconsin Historical Society's Somos Latina Project oral histories discuss the importance of bilingual education especially in their personal experience in Wisconsin. In one interview with a woman named Marie Black she explained to the interviewer the lack of bilingual education in Wisconsin while she was school-age. "And by the time I got to go to school I did have some difficulty with the language at that time and you know of course in those days they didn't have bilingual teachers." (4)
What is an HSI?
Definition: “nonprofit, degree-granting institutions enrolling at least 25% Latina/o fulltime equivalent (FTE) undergraduates and a low-income student population” (5)
- Many HSIs are near Latino communities because many latino students chose to stay close to home.
- Many students are unaware that they are actually attending an HSI.
- Cuellar's study notes and calls for better functioning Latino-serving institutions that recognize the intersections of Latinx identity and the needs of different groups of latinos when it comes to higher education and choosing institutions
1. Patricia Gandara, “With the Future on the Line: Why Studying Latino Education Is So Urgent.” in American Journal of Education, vol. 121, no. 3, 2015, pp. 451–463.
2. Ibid.
3. David A. Badillo, “Litigating Bilingual Education: A History of the Gomez Decision in Illinois,” in Latinos in the Midwest, by Martinez Rubén O., Michigan State University Press, 2011, pp. 207–223.
4. "Somos Latinas Project Oral Histories." Content.wisconsinhistory.org. 2017. Accessed April 16, 2019. http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15932coll15.
5. Marcela G. Cuellar, “Creating Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Emerging HSIs: Latina/o College Choice at 4-Year Institutions.” in American Journal of Education, vol. 125, no. 2, Feb. 2019, pp. 231–258.
6. "Flyer, "Solidarity with Third World People" / Folleto: "Solidaridad Con Las Personas Del Tercer Mundo"." CONTENTdm. October 05, 2012. Accessed April 16, 2019. https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/uwmactivism/id/12/rec/28.
2. Ibid.
3. David A. Badillo, “Litigating Bilingual Education: A History of the Gomez Decision in Illinois,” in Latinos in the Midwest, by Martinez Rubén O., Michigan State University Press, 2011, pp. 207–223.
4. "Somos Latinas Project Oral Histories." Content.wisconsinhistory.org. 2017. Accessed April 16, 2019. http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15932coll15.
5. Marcela G. Cuellar, “Creating Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Emerging HSIs: Latina/o College Choice at 4-Year Institutions.” in American Journal of Education, vol. 125, no. 2, Feb. 2019, pp. 231–258.
6. "Flyer, "Solidarity with Third World People" / Folleto: "Solidaridad Con Las Personas Del Tercer Mundo"." CONTENTdm. October 05, 2012. Accessed April 16, 2019. https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/uwmactivism/id/12/rec/28.