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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Joseph Brennan |
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Study released on Lehigh Valley Latino/Hispanic students
BETHLEHEM, Nov. 2 – State Rep. Joe Brennan, D-Lehigh/Northampton, held a news conference today with The Education Coalition of the Latino Economic Council to present a study titled "The Status of Latino/Hispanic Public School Students in the Lehigh Valley."
"I'm proud to have helped acquire the funding for this important research," Brennan said. "Studies like these are so vital to the school system and the community so we can best identify the status of our students and make sure we're providing them the best education and community experience we can."
The report examines the status of the Latino/Hispanic school-aged population of the Lehigh Valley, an area that includes 17 public school districts in Lehigh and Northampton counties. The findings are based on an analysis of data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, local school districts and interviews with personnel in the Allentown, Bethlehem Area and Easton Area school districts.
Brennan said key findings of the study include that the Latino/Hispanic student population in the Lehigh Valley is growing beyond urban cores to suburban and rural school districts, and that overall, Latino and Hispanic students' educational experience is improving with noted increases in graduation rates and more Latino/Hispanic students taking the SAT test.
The study also identifies areas of concern for Latino/Hispanic students, and highlights the group's educational needs in the area.
For copy of the report, residents can visit the Lehigh Valley Research Consortium Web site,
http://www.lehighvalleyresearch.org, or contact Maria Teresa Donate at 610-861-5337.
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