Life circumstances and public policies for young children in immigrant families

Spanish-speaking Mexican-American families’ involvement in school-based activities and their children's literacy: The implications of having teachers who speak Spanish and English

“…Moreover, Mexican-American students face greater risk for educational underachievement compared with the Latino population, overall (Dockterman, 2011). Part of the explanation for these trends may lie in the converging consequences of high poverty rates among Mexican-American children (particularly those whose parents have limited English skills), home environments with limited resources to cultivate English language skills, and a lack of family experience within the U.S. educational system (Delgado-Gaitan, 2004; Hernandez et al, 2009; Sampson, 2003). …”

“…The demographic landscape of schools in the United States is becoming increasingly linguistically and culturally diverse (Hernandez, Takanishi, & Marotz, 2009; Suarez-Orozco, Suarez-Orozco, & Todorova, 2008). Indeed, the number of English language learners is increasing faster than any other portion of the pre-K to 12 population, and the fastest growing racial group, Latinos, may represent over 50% of the public school population by 2050 (Fry & Gonzales, 2008; Hoffman & Sable, 2006; Kindler, 2002; Planty et al, 2009).…”

“…Presently, children of Mexican origin account for nearly two-thirds of school-aged Latinos in the U.S. (Dockterman, 2011). The academic success of these students has key implications for the nation’s social and economic future, but debate is on-going concerning best educational practices for English-language learners (Brisk, 1998; García & Jensen, 2010; Guerrero, 2002; Hernandez et al, 2009; National Research Council, 1997; Suro & Passel, 2003). …”

The Influence of Family Capital on Children's Working Memory in New Immigrant Families in the United States

“…With the current rate of increase, one in three children will be from immigrant families in the United States by 2015 (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2007). Young children under age eight show more diversity in racial/ethnic, linguistic, and family backgrounds than other age groups (Hernandez, 2004;Hernandez, Takanishi, & Marotz, 2009). This diversity offers enrichment of educational and cultural experiences for young children, and it requires the special attention of educators, researchers, and policy makers on the developmental outcomes of this group (Palacios, Guttmannova, & ChaseLansdale, 2008).…”

Practices for Parent Participation in Early Intervention/ Early Childhood Special Education

“…The 2012 U.S. Census, which details the population characteristics of states, revealed that the states are getting more diverse each year (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). The inevitable growth in diverse populations contribute to increasing numbers of culturally and ethnically diverse families in EI/ECSE programs (Hernandez, Takanishi, & Marotz, 2009;Turney & Kao, 2009). …”