Study: Hispanic students in Texas increase 43%

" In Texas, the number of Hispanic public school students increased 43 percent -- from 1.3 million in 1993 to 1.8 million in 2003. Texas has the second-largest population of Hispanic students, behind California."

What needs to be remembered is that most of this increase is due to the rate of natural increase (births).

Angela

Study: Hispanic students in Texas increase 43%
Nationwide surge is largest since baby boomer era

Thursday, October 5, 2006

New York Times News Service


Study: Hispanic students in Texas increase 43%
Nationwide surge is largest since baby boomer era

08:24 PM CDT on Thursday, October 5, 2006

New York Times News Service

WASHINGTON -- Fueled by the burgeoning Hispanic population, the number of children in U.S. public schools increased by 4.7 million from 1993 to 2003, the largest surge since the baby boomers started school, a new study shows.

Hispanic students accounted for 64 percent of the total growth, or 3 million children, according to the report by the Pew Hispanic Center, a non-partisan research group.

In Texas, the number of Hispanic public school students increased 43 percent -- from 1.3 million in 1993 to 1.8 million in 2003. Texas has the second-largest population of Hispanic students, behind California.

"Latinos have been the key growing student population over all of American public education," said Richard Fry, a senior researcher at the Pew Hispanic Center and author of the study.

The report, based on data from the Department of Education, shows that during the same time period, the number of black students increased by 1.1 million, the number of Asian students increased by 500,000, and the number of white students declined by 35,000.

The impact of high rates of immigration in the 1980's and 1990's -- which produced an influx of young Hispanic adults in their prime childbearing years -- is most evident in the numbers of Hispanic students in elementary schools, the study says.

From 1993 to 2003, Hispanic enrollment in public elementary schools increased by 1.6 million. During the same time, the enrollment of black students increased by 390,000, Asian enrollment increased by 219,000, and white enrollment declined by 1.2 million, the study showed.
In addition, the report said that white students for the most part still attend mostly white schools.

In Florida, the number of Hispanic public school students increased 91 percent -- from 282,000 in 1993 to 538,000 in 2003. Florida has the fourth largest number of Hispanic students, behind California, Texas and New York.

In Ohio, the number of Hispanic public school students increased 49 percent -- from about 24,000 in 1993 to 36,000 in 2003. insert for Cox states)
The report also shows that the nation has seen a boom in the construction of new schools with more than 15,000 built between 1993 and 2003. That marks the most vigorous school construction period in the United States since the 1920's.

Most Hispanic students, however, are being educated in older schools that existed before 1993. The report does not provide a reason why most Hispanic students are not attending the newly built schools.

Harry Pachon, president of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at the University of Southern California, said it is not surprising that most Hispanics are not attending the newer schools because new immigrants often settle in older neighborhoods and inner cities.
"There is a correlation between port of entry communities and older schools," he said.

The situation will likely change over time, as Hispanics become more affluent and educated and move to suburban communities and other areas, he said.

"Hispanics are just like all other Americans. They want the dream of the house in the suburbs with the yard, the fence and the dog," he said.
The report also shows that schools with large increases in the Hispanic population have a larger share of low income students as evidenced by an increase in the use of free lunch programs.

In schools with at least a 100 percent increase in Hispanic students from 1993 to 2003, the percent of students using the free lunch program increased from 36 percent to 42 percent, the study said.

The study also found:
- Arkansas saw the largest percent increase in its Hispanic school-age population -- from about 3,900 to 21,400 -- an increase of 454 percent.
- Most Hispanic public school students reside in six states -- Florida, Arizona, Illinois, California, Texas and New York.
-Twenty four states -- including Alabama, Minnesota, Utah, and Iowa -- have seen at least a 100 percent increase in the number of Hispanic public school students from 1993 to 2003.

- Only one state had a decline in Hispanic enrollment during that time. The number of Latino students in Hawaii public schools decreased from 9,082 to 8,487.

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