Hispanics' Schooling

In 1990, the school dropout rate for Hispanics between the ages of 16 and 24 was high--about 30 percent. The comparable rate for non-Hispanic blacks was 18 percent, and for non-Hispanic whites it was 10 percent. Drop-out rates were not uniform by country of origin, ranging from 36 percent for Central Americans and 34 percent for Mexican Americans to 12 percent for South Americans. Dropout rates were much higher for Hispanics not born in the United States (43 percent) than for U.S.-born Hispanics (20 percent). Further, among those born outside the United States, recent arrivals were at greatest risk of dropping out. GAO found that the risk of dropping out of U.S. schools was higher for 16- and 17-year-old Hispanics who fell into one or more of the following categories: not born in the United States, limited in English-speaking ability, from poor families, or either married or mothers. Hispanic dropouts faced the following formidable barriers to completing their education: 40 percent spoke English "not well" or "not at all," more than half needed three years or more of schooling to finish high school, more than one third had incomes at or below the poverty line, and most had job or family responsibilities.

GAO found that: (1) in 1990, the dropout rate for Hispanic students between the ages of 16 and 24 was 30 percent; (2) although the dropout rates for blacks and whites are significantly lower and have been declining over the last two decades, the Hispanic student dropout rate has remained significantly high; (3) although dropout rates are not uniform by country of origin, foreign-born Hispanics have a much higher dropout rate than U.S.-born Hispanics; (4) the risk of dropping out of school is higher for 16- and 17-year-old Hispanics who are limited in English-speaking ability, from poor families, and either married or mothers; (5) of the 1.15 million Hispanic dropouts in 1990, 70 percent were of Mexican origin, 10 percent were of Puerto Rican origin, and 70 percent lived in either California, Texas, or New York; (6) it could not determine how many young Hispanic dropouts intended to remain in the United States to complete their high-school education or obtain an equivalency certificate; (7) the barriers Hispanic dropouts face in completing their education include a lack of English skills, low-income backgrounds, and numerous out-of-school obligations; and (8) survey findings suggest that Hispanic students drop out at similar rates as non-Hispanic students with similar backgrounds.