Our Initiatives -Hispanic Communities
Over the past two decades, immigrants from Latin America have impacted North Carolina significantly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic population in North Carolina more than tripled between 1990 and 2000. Today, Hispanics live in every one of our state’s 100 counties and work in all sectors of the economy. Many school systems have seen dramatic increases in the enrollment of students from Spanish-speaking families. Meeting the needs of these students has been challenging, and as a result, their four-year graduation rate is 68.8% – the lowest graduation rate in the state for any ethnic group. While the majority of Hispanic children in North Carolina are U.S. citizens and are English-fluent, many have parents and siblings who are not. These children are vulnerable since parents without U.S. citizenship are often reluctant to interact with governmental agencies and miss out on basic services available for their children.
Communities In Schools of North Carolina is well-positioned to assist the schools in meeting the needs of Hispanic immigrants. Our site coordinators are committed to removing barriers to success for all students, and their relationships with community partners allow them to address the challenges faced by both students and their families. Some of the services provided by local CIS affiliates include tutoring, mentoring (with an emphasis on recruiting bicultural mentors), support groups, ESL classes for parents, bilingual information sessions and home visits. Through a partnership with IBM, translation software is available to local affiliates and Hispanic students at several sites. We provide regular training opportunities for local staff to increase their cultural competency and to prepare them to better serve Hispanic students and their families. As a member of the Adelante Education Coalition, we are able to keep the CIS network abreast of current issues and developments that affect this population, as well as provide valuable resources to site coordinators and school counselors regarding enrichment and scholarship opportunities.
Additional Resources:
Adelante Education Coalition
El Pueblo
The North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals
Latino Families.net
Action for Children North Carolina
Pew Hispanic Center
College Foundation of North Carolina
