Education Programs

Overview

The services and activities of the Education component target its approximately 150 affiliated community-based organizations while NCLR’s policy work simultaneously addresses national issues in public education. NCLR’s programs place a special focus on its Affiliates, which provide services to the Hispanic community at each critical stage of the education pipeline, supporting student learning and working in partnership with other organizations on special projects.

NCLR focuses on areas of acute disparity in Latino educational achievement through a capacity-building, training, and technical assistance model that strengthens the ability of community-based organizations to address barriers to a world-class education. While the direct services of NCLR’s Education component target NCLR Affiliates and public charter schools, the models and practices developed with these groups inform the work of other public schools, organizations, and agencies that serve Hispanic students.

Early Childhood Education

The achievement gap for Latino students can be tracked to their earliest years, even before children begin formal education. NCLR works with its Affiliates to provide early childhood services by increasing their capacity in:

• Early literacy development that integrates cultural and linguistic traditions
• Parental engagement that supports school readiness
• Curriculum and program development that promotes state early learning standards
• Professional development that improves the quality of instruction of teachers and care provide

Education

Working with a network of approximately 100 community-based schools dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for Latinos, NCLR supports efforts to improve student achievement by focusing on:

• Instruction that prepares all students for college success
• Integration of literacy development strategies across the curriculum
• Instruction of English language learners
• Effective engagement of parents and the community in school and student success

After-school programs

After-school programs can play an important role in academic achievement. NCLR seeks to increase the quality of after-school programs for Hispanic families through:

• Research to determine the needs of Latino families in after-school programs
• Development of a formal network of Affiliate organizations providing after-school services
• Professional development that specifically focuses on the needs of Latino students and their families